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On Your Honor 
 3 Steps to Building The e-Trust Factor
by Rick Beneteau

One of the greatest virtues we can possess is to be
trustworthy.

One of the greatest compliments we can receive is that we are trusted.

Why begin an Internet marketing article with those sentiments? Simple, because on the Internet trust is everything! I repeat, trust is everything on the Internet!

Face it, we are not pressing the flesh, face to face with
potential customers. All we have is one very thin and very
short opportunity to begin the process of building trust with
people. NOT starting this process is where most  entrepreneurs (and most of the major companies who have failed online) miss the cyber-mark.

It doesn't matter whether you are selling brownies, or monster trucks. You could be writing and selling eBooks or publishing a newsletter. You could be working an MLM or promoting several affiliate programs. Regardless of your product or service, here is how you begin the process of building trust with your website viewers and potential customers.


1. Credibility Right Outa the Box

It all starts with credibility. If first-time trigger-happy
clickers don't get the feeling right away that you are someone
they can trust, then you might as well save yourself your
monthly dial-up fees, or just start hangin' out in the chat
rooms. Of course, you must also tell them what you have to
offer (features/benefits) right off the top, but once you
capture their interest, start the process of credibilizing
yourself.

I use testimonials as one powerful way to do this. In the
second paragraph of my main website at:
http://www.interniche.net , I've posted a great unsolicited
testimonial. If you don't feel like clicking to see it, here
'tis:
"Rick, you ooze credibility and honesty! Keep up the good
work! You are the cream that rises to the top of the hype,
lies, scammers, etc. Honesty in Internet marketing is becoming a prized commodity. Thanks!"

If you are in the mood to click, here's a webpage where I've
posted just some of my customer testimonials:
http://www.interniche.net/said.html 

Look, I can tell you how great my products are, but when this
many customers do, it establishes a high level of credibility,
and eventually trust when they do purchase my products and
experience the level of customer service I offer. Speaking of
which . . .


2. Value - Sell a MEG but Give a GIG!

One of my favorite quotes is from Bob Proctor: "Quality is not
Expensive, it's Priceless!" I learned this from my early days
in the drycleaning business. I hired and trained the best
people and paid them more than my competitors. I bought the best supplies and had nice looking and very clean stores. I was fanatical about my end product and my customers were only too glad to pay top dollar in town for my services. Steady
customers were given free drycleaning several times throughout the year.

A full money back guarantee is critical. No matter *how much* value you are giving to your customer, failing to offer them a complete, hassle-free refund on their purchase is a surefire recipe for cyber-failure. You MUST make them feel extremely comfortable that you will stand behind your product
unconditionally.

Perceived value (what your customers *think* they are going to get) is important, but true value is essential and you MUST
give your customers more in value than the dollars you receive in return!


3. Set Your Sites on Customer OverService!!

Now here's where credibility starts turning itself into the 
e-Trust Factor. Say someone has purchased a product that you ship to them and for some reason, it never arrives. Besides lending a sympathetic ear and re-shipping the order right away, what else do you do? Of course, you give them something valuable, for FREE! My products are digital but whenever a customer has had a real struggle downloading (usually their inexperience) I provide them with a great report that I have just for this purpose. You should see the positive reactions when I do this!

Something else. Give refunds with a smile. Hard to do
sometimes, but not only have I had refunded customers purchase new products, I know for an Internet fact that they have told many people about the fast and friendly refund they received. Positive word-of-mouth can go a long way to building the trust factor.

Here's a fundamental rule of mouse: Stay On Top of Your Email! Perhaps the greatest way of building trust with your customer is to let them experience the fact that you are there for them, and as close to the speed of light as you can! From my own direct experience, my customers and resellers are simply amazed when they receive the fast (often instant) and friendly email support I provide. Kind of a sad statement on the general state of customer service on the Internet I'd say!

In closing, I guarantee that if you follow these 3 powerful
steps you will witness a dramatic increase in sales because
you have built the e-Trust Factor.

Remember, you are On Your Honor!

© 2001 Rick Beneteau

"I've read probably 1000 books on the topics of business, spirituality, and motivation. Rick Beneteau's book, 'Success: A Spiritual Matter,' is the best I've seen at addressing all these critical issues in one place."
Paul Meyers * TalkBiz News

"Astonishing. Unforgettable. Electrifying. 
It's a masterpiece."
Joe Vitale* author of "Spiritual Marketing," and "Hypnotic Writing,"