Don’t you wish there was a way to make your online business look like you’ve been around for years?
Okay, truth time. Customers are skeptical. They can spot a business built yesterday from a mile away – and they don’t trust you.
Guess what else they’re not trusting with their money?
Your online store. 69% of Americans have walked away from a transaction because they simply didn’t trust the business.
The good news?
You don’t need a big budget to look legit. There are low cost tactics every online business owner can use to instantly appear more credible.
Let’s dig in…
What you’ll learn:
- Why trust is MORE important than ever before
- How cheap the virtual office cost is
- 5 go-to tactics to look more established (They’re inexpensive too!)
- Making sense of it all
Why Trust Is More Important Than Ever Before
Trust is the name of the game for online business owners. If you don’t have it, you’re going to struggle.
Here’s the thing. Someone lands on your website for the first time already trying to figure out why they shouldn’t buy. 81% will avoid interacting with brands they don’t trust.
But wait… there’s more.
Did you know 75% of consumers also base their credibility judgement on aesthetics?
Yes, that means how professional your brand looks online plays a major role in whether or not someone trusts you.
Here’s the cool part…
Customers can’t tell how long you’ve been in business just by looking at your website. But they definitely think you’re new if you look cheap.
That’s where the virtual office cost comes in. A virtual office for online businesses allows you to operate under a professional business address while never stepping foot in an actual brick-and-mortar office.
It comes with mail handling, meeting spaces and more. All for way less than you think.
Adding a virtual office to your online business is one of the easiest ways to build trust.
With industry experts predicting the market will grow to over $22 billion by 2034, it’s clear this isn’t a fad. Businesses see the value and are flocking to virtual offices.
5 Cheap Ways to Look More Established
Ok, strategy time. Below are 5 tactics you can start using to make your online business look legit. Stick to a couple that work best for you and start seeing your customers respond in a new way.
Get a Professional Business Address
Ah yes. The single most important tactic you can use to build trust.
Why? Let’s ask Google.
Google ranks websites with physical addresses higher in search results.
Why? Because it looks more professional. It puts your customers at ease.
When was the last time you bought something from someone that operated out of their home? You probably haven’t. Most customers won’t take that risk online either.
Solution: Get a virtual office. Overnight you replace your home address with a real business address you can use everywhere:
- On your website
- Business cards
- Google Business Profile
- Legal documents
- Anywhere else your business address is displayed
Price? The virtual office cost for business addresses starts at just $10 per month. And keeps your business protected should you ever need a physical location to legally respond to.
Build a Professional Website
Want to know how important your website is?
51% of ALL business done in the United States is done online. Can you guess how many of those transactions don’t use a website?
The answer: ZERO.
Everyone has a website these days. Don’t be the odd one out. Make sure your site is:
- Clean, modern and easy to navigate
- Includes clear contact information (remember your new business address!)
- Fast loading speed
- Mobile friendly
- Showcases customer testimonials/reviews
You can get your hands on a professional WordPress website for less than $30 per month. Just make sure you don’t cheap out on the design.
Nothing screams amateur more than a sloppy looking website.
Invest in a Business Phone System
This one might surprise you but it makes a huge difference.
Operating your online business off of a personal mobile phone number is NOT a good look.
Think about it. Seeing a random cell number on a business website doesn’t exactly scream “established company.”
Thankfully there’s a simple solution. Virtual phone systems allow you to get a dedicated business phone number with all the perks of a big business… for next to nothing.
Google Voice and Grasshopper are two of the top picks. You can start your online business with a professional phone number for less than $10 per month.
Calls will still ring to your cell phone. No one will even know the difference. The beauty is your customers won’t hear your personal ringtone. They’ll hear a nice, classy voicemail greeting.
Consistent Branding
Believe it or not, your branding can actually make or break your chances of looking professional and trustworthy.
And no, this doesn’t mean dropping hundreds on a logo.
What it means is everything your business puts out into the world should look professional.
Here’s what that looks like:
- Logo
- Matching colours/fonts on website/social media/etc
- Branded email address (info@yourbusiness.com not yourbusiness@gmail.com)
- Social media pages/profiles that match
When everything your brand does is done professionally, customers take notice. They trust you more.
When your brand looks like a hot mess….well. You get the idea.
Branding yourself properly can be as cheap as $6 per month if you sign up for Google Workspace and create a branded business email.
Leverage Social Proof
This isn’t a hard strategy to figure out.
People trust other people more than they trust your marketing.
That means social proof is hands down the best way to build trust with your target market.
Sure, you can try pitching your awesome products online. But it’s much more effective when someone else does it.
Here are some ideas:
- Customer reviews (Google Reviews)
- Testimonials on your website
- News mentions/media interviews
- Case studies/customer stories
The coolest part about this “strategy”? It’s free. Just ask. The majority of happy customers will be more than willing to leave a nice review.
Making Sense of It All
These strategies aren’t standalone solutions.
One tactic alone will only get you so far. But stack them on top of each other and you’ve got a recipe for instant trust and credibility.
Put a professional business address on your professionally built website. Make sure your branding is consistent everywhere and include a business phone number on your website.
Oh, and social proof? Yeah, make sure you have plenty of that too.
Customers don’t care how long your business has been established. They do care if your brand looks legit. When in doubt, spend money on making your business look good.
Wrapping Things Up
Looking like an established online business doesn’t have to break the bank.
If you want to see results ASAP, start with these strategies.
- Get a business address — virtual offices provide this
- Build a professional website
- Invest in a business phone — get rid of that cell number
- Create consistent branding
- Leverage social proof
