The Credibility Challenge
In today’s world, we are constantly bombarded with lies, tricks, and scams. As consumers, we have to be careful to buy from credible sources, or risk getting taken advantage of. Now, this makes it harder for those on the supply side to be successful. So, as a business owner, how can you make your business more credible?
Be consistent. Consistency is one of the keys to building a reputation of credibility. Practice emotional stability and always treat your clients with respect. Tackle comparable offerings similarly. Be fair, and make sure you always deliver a quality product to all of your customers and clients. In addition, make sure you keep your word. If you promise a deadline, make sure you deliver on time. Be careful about your commitments—whether they are verbal or written—and make sure you follow through with them. Give your clients a reason to really trust you.
Be professional. Give people a reason to believe in your abilities by being knowledgeable. Experts are easily trusted, so spend time learning all there is to know about your industry. Keep yourself informed of the latest happenings and new technologies. Most importantly, always strive for improvement. Also, make sure your attitude is always professional. Show that you work well with others, and be polite to everyone. Fights, harsh comments, and rudeness are never seen as professional conduct.
Have excellent customer service. We always hear the phrase, “Go the extra mile” to depict great customer service. While you don’t necessarily have to go as far as say, babysitting your customers’ children, be sure to always treat them with the highest level of respect and politeness possible. Show your clients that you are passionate about helping them, and be sure to communicate this clearly. Let your clients know what to expect from you—and then exceed their expectations. Always remember that you are doing business with human beings, so treat them so. Everybody has specific needs and ways of doing things, so be sensitive to differences among your clients.
Be humble. Nobody likes a show-off. Why do you think people always root for the underdog? While you should definitely have faith in your abilities, always make sure you apologize for any mistakes. Ignoring them and pretending to be infallible will not help you. People will be both surprised and impressed when you honestly point out what you did wrong.
Building credibility is tricky because it is an aspect of your reputation. It’s not easy to take control over how people perceive you, so creating a reputable business can be tough. An important thing to always remember is that credibility is easier to maintain than to recover. So even though it may require a lot of effort, be careful to always and consistently give people a reason to trust you.
