How to Build Trust Through Copywriting

The arrival of the internet has brought with it a number of positives. However, it's also created the perfect environment for crooks and scammers to operate in. The anonymity that the internet provides, and the ease in which someone can set up a website and start selling products and services is a huge problem that needs to be dealt with.

You may well recall the controversy last year when a number of ticket-selling websites popped up online prior to the V-Festival. Many music lovers unknowingly purchased "tickets" from these sites, and only realised something was up when the tickets failed to arrive. The sites then disappeared and the money vanished. This sort of thing has been happening more and more in recent years, and as a result, online customers are becoming extremely cautious and sceptical when purchasing online, unless it's a brand name that they immediately recognise.

And this is the key point...

People will happily purchase from brand names because they TRUST them. These companies have built up a reputation and customers know they're genuine.

So if you're starting up a new business as a freelance copywriter, a web designer, a photographer or anything else, you need to create a feeling of trust as quickly as possible, and convince the visitor that you're the real deal.

Here are three ways of doing it...

1. Create a back-story

If you're selling a product via a website or a sales letter, it's crucial that you tell the reader who you are, and how you can help them, so that you create an affinity with them and bridge the gap between customer and product seller. Let's say that you're selling an e-book about curing acne, for example. If you're selling such a book, no doubt you suffered from this condition yourself. In which case, let the reader know that. Build a relationship and tell them that you understand just how they feel. You were once suffering just like they are now, but you found the solution. Building a relationship like this helps to engender trust, which will have a huge bearing on whether someone buys from you or not.

1. Include case studies

If you're claiming to be able to do something for someone, they want to see proof that you can do it. The best of way of providing this proof and generating a sense of trust is to include a few of your best case studies on your website. If you're a copywriter, for instance, you could add a page to your website which shows some of your previous projects. This will allow the customer to see your work, which will make them much more likely to employ your copywriting services, providing you're any good, that is!

1. Add testimonials

As with case studies, testimonials add the crucial element of social proof. Potential customers want peace of mind before they purchase anything. They want to be sure that you can do the job properly, and testimonials can help provide this. On my copywriting website, I include the name of the customer and a website link if I can. This allows the visitor to click on the link and view the work in question, and even contact the person listed in the testimonial if they're really distrustful! But the fact is, by including the name and the website link, they won't be.

So when you come to setting up your own website, be sure to include as many of these elements as you can, because if you do, you'll find that a lot more people will order from you.

And you can trust me on that!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/copywriting-articles/how-to-build-trust-through-copywriting-5045784.html

Nick Cobb is a freelance copywriter, online marketing consultant and the founder and Managing Director of Write For You Ltd, a copywriting agency based in London. One of his websites; My Freelance Copywriter provides a wide range of copywriting services to domestic and international businesses, while another is dedicated to producing profit-pulling sales copy for online marketers, so head on over here if you're looking for a Red Hot Sales Letter!

Labels: copywriter, copywriting tips, freelance copywriter, how to build trust online

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