By: Jenna Dalton
Admit it.
You’d love to double, triple, even quadruple your sales.
That’s why you’re reading this blog, right? To learn how to drive more traffic to your site so you can make more money?
It’s okay to say yes. In fact I’m happy you said yes because that means you’re serious. You’re ready to learn – and implement – key strategies to help you boost your bottom line.
But hold up a second.
Before we go any further, you need to know the truth.
The truth is that the secret to boosting your bottom line isn’t more marketing.
You may think that creating some Facebook ads, blogging more, or hosting a webinar will get you more sales.
But it won’t. Not if you don’t have some key pieces in place first.
You see, marketing doesn’t actually get you more sales.
Take a pause and read that sentence again. Yes. I did just say that marketing doesn’t actually get you more sales.
Marketing simply creates awareness.
It’s what you do with that awareness that gets you more sales.
You use marketing to get people’s attention. Then once you have their attention, whether they buy from you or not is determined by 3 critical questions that potential buyers will ask themselves:
- Do they give me what I want or need? They’ll look at the results and benefits that your offerings provide and decide whether that’s something they’re interested in.
- Was this made for me? They’ll use clues you leave on your website and social media to decide if you help them specifically. This is why it’s important to have a clear target market. You want people to be able to easily say, “He helps _____________. I’m a _____________ so he can help me.”
- Are they a likeable and credible expert? They’ll make a judgment call to decide whether you’re someone they know, like and trust enough to do business with.
That third question is a huge piece of the puzzle that often gets forgotten.
You might be focused so much on making sure your target market and the results and benefits you promise are clear that you forget that people have to like and trust you enough in order to click buy.
This is a huge mistake you can’t afford to make.
Because once your marketing strategies create that awareness and people are intrigued enough to come check you out, they’ll give you the opportunity to earn their trust and prove that you’re credible.
If you don’t come across as knowledgeable and likeable, your chances of getting the sale just plummeted.
So let’s boost your know, like and trust factor, shall we?
I’ve put together a list of 14 ways you can position yourself as an appealing authority in your field.
Somewhere in this list is something that you know you could implement. Something that could help boost your likeability and credibility and make the difference between not getting the sale and getting the sale.
Let’s dive in…
1. Blog Regularly
What better way to get to know, like and trust someone then by reading a weekly blog post written by them?
Blogging consistently is a great strategy because it’s like you’re inviting your readers to coffee every week, giving them some valuable advice and helping them get to know you better.
2. Change That Email Address
If your business email address is still [email protected] you need to change it.
Yesterday.
Remember, how you present yourself – including the email address you use – says something about you. You want it to say, “I’m awesome and totally professional!” not, “I don’t even take myself seriously so neither should you.”
3. Get Pro Photos Taken
A professional photographer can highlight you in the best way possible and make you look the part of the expert.
If you sell physical products, they can make those look really good too.
The fact of the matter is, pros get professional photos taken. And I know you want to go pro. So get professional photos taken.
4. Ask for Testimonials
It’s cool that your mom loves your stuff, it’s better if you have a handful (at least) of other people who’ve used and love it too.
People want to know that other people – just like them – have bought and enjoyed your offerings. It makes you look legit.
Don’t know how to ask for a testimonial? Use this formula.
5. Hire a Web Designer
If your website looks like a five year old made it in 1992, it’s time for an update. At the very least, choose a WordPress design template that looks professional.
Don’t sweat it. We’ve all had website shame at one point or another.
This was actually my homepage at one point…
Yikes!
Then I hired a web designer and I suddenly looked a heck of a lot more credible…
I would be much more likely to hire the lady in that photo than whoever came up with that welcome page. How about you?
If you can afford to hire a web designer, go for it. It’s worth it to look like the smarty-pants professional you are.
6. Tell Your Story
If you have a rags to riches, flab to fab, or zero to hero story, tell it. Experience is a powerful credibility builder. If you wanted to lose weight, would you rather hire a fitness coach who’s always been fit and never had to lose an ounce in his life? Or one who’s lost 50lbs and kept it off? I thought so!
When you share your story, people can relate to you. And when you’re relatable, you’re likeable, like Steve Kamb at NerdFitness.com…
7. Cite Research, Books and Other Experts
When you do your homework and find excerpts that support your point, suddenly people have an easier time believing you.
Especially when someone with a PhD is backing you up.
You don’t necessarily need to spend hours scouring for research articles on your area of expertise. But whenever you come across some research or expert analysis that could bolster your opinions, use it.
[su_note]FREE Download: Don’t miss Jenna’s guide called How to Write Attention Grabbing Headlines. Click here to get a free copy. [/su_note]8. Be Responsive
People don’t like when customer service takes three weeks to get back to them. It makes you look like you just don’t care. Not a great way to build likeability.
So decide how long your response rates are gonna be – people usually go with 24-48 hours during the weekdays – and stick to ‘em.
9. Show Your Credentials
If you have a degree or certification that relates to what you’re selling, don’t be shy about showing it off. People get comfort from knowing someone at some point taught you something about what you’re selling.
It doesn’t even have to be an official degree or certification. If you have some great experience at a well-known company – like Jon Morrow of BoostBlogTraffic.com – or something else impressive (and relevant) to share, show it off.
10. Boost Your Prices
It may seem silly but you might actually lose people’s trust if your prices are too low. Especially if they’re well below the norm for your industry. People will assume there’s something wrong with your product or service that makes it necessary for you to give them such a discount.
So take a look at your prices and if you have an inkling that they’re too low, charge more.
11. Give Back
If you regularly give to charitable causes on behalf of your business, put a “Giving Back” page on your website so people can see that a portion of your sales are going to great purpose-filled organizations.
People who are trying to do good in the world are generally likeable people – like Marie Forleo…
12. Ditch the Sales Speak
The minute you sound like you’re reading a sales script you’ll start to lose people’s trust. No one likes to be sold to.
If you have a tough time sounding like your conversational, fun-loving self on your sales pages, hire a copywriter.
If you have a tough time sounding conversational and genuine on a sales call, practice until you do.
13. Take a Stand
If you want to be seen as an authority in your field you can’t constantly straddle the center line. At some point you’ll need to take a side on an issue that’s important to your audience.
The people you want to attract will love you for it. The people you don’t want to attract will probably hate you. But that’s cool. Focus on the people who love you for it. They’re your people.
14. Make Friends with the Top Guns
There’s a reason that the top people in any industry get asked to write a review for a soon-to-be-released book, people trust them.
If they recommend something, people trust that recommendation.
So rub shoulders and get in the good books of the big-wigs in your industry.
You don’t have to aim for the top dogs right off the bat. But make your way up there by forming mutually beneficial relationships with people in your industry.
Patience, Grasshopper.
Your know, like and trust factor isn’t built in an instant.
But if you focus on boosting it one step at a time, you’ll be the likeable, credible expert that tons of people send referrals to before you know it.
So pick a strategy (or two) from the list above and get going on boosting your professional reputation.
After all, you and I both know marketing won’t get you more sales.
It’ll simply create awareness.
Once people are aware of you, they won’t buy from you unless they know, like and trust you.
So making this a key part of your business-building strategy could be the difference between them saying yes to you, or buying from someone else.
And I’m pretty sure you want them to say yes to you, right?
(Totally a trick question! I know the answer is a “heck yes!” So get after it, my friend.)
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You want clear steps to create addictively awesome content that attracts more clients and sales. Jenna Dalton is an Elite Level Book Yourself Solid Certified Coach who can give you those steps. She’ll help you stand out, get known and make money from your blog. Don’t miss her free guide How to Write Attention Grabbing Headlines so you can boost traffic to your blog. And make sure to come say hi to her on Twitter and Facebook.[/su_box]
Thank very much