4 thieves of your credibility and reputation: be careful !!
You already know that the internet is one of the most powerful tools with which you can leverage your professional business and thus be able to offer your professional services to more and more clients, even anywhere in the world. But something that maybe you do not take into account, is that this same tool also becomes a double-edged sword if you do not know how to take advantage of its power to play in your favor, and on the contrary you advance without a correct strategy.
That is why I want to tell you about these “4 thieves of your credibility and reputation” so that you not only get to know them, but also learn to eliminate them from your professional business so that you can have the success you expect with your clients and your services. Ready to meet them? Here we go:
4 thieves of your credibility and reputation - and how to keep them under control!
1. - An unprofessional image
I love to start with this tip because I think it is one of the easiest to solve, but at the same time its effect is very harmful when it is not "under control". An image can have many components, but today I'm going to focus on something as simple as your photo. An unprofessional photo is a great thief of your credibility.
With that I don't mean that you run to do a professional photo shoot (which would not be bad, but it is not essential) but rather that you try to choose a photo that reflects who you are. What I mean by this? People want to connect with other people. We are social beings. The absence of a photo leaves your services in a totally impersonal plan, and that does not attract your clients. Also, forget about using a “passport” photo, one of those that is taken out when you have to renew your identity document or your driver's license (and one knows why, but it always goes horribly wrong). You don't have to dress like a corporate entrepreneur if you're not. In your style, the style of your clients, a neat photo, of good quality, clear and pleasant,It will reflect the best of you and will be the first thing people see when they think of your services.
One last tip for this point: don't forget to smile. This is essential and I assure you that it will make a difference in the way in which your clients will remember their work with you.
2. - A too "light" success story
It is very common that when you want to create your image on the internet, you want to explain some of your achievements and results obtained by your clients, through success stories, stories and testimonials. I think it is an excellent practice and highly recommended. Nor am I going to stop mentioning that obviously the testimonies must be authentic and not invented, because we would already be talking about other types of problems.
But even when your customers have really said wonderful things about you, this is where you may have a problem. For example "How much I liked working with Juanita, she is really very nice and nice." It is a simple testimony, but that is not the problem. The downside is that it talks about your interpersonal skills or abilities (which are essential too) but it doesn't talk about what you can do for your clients. Ideally, they can mention what they have achieved, how their lives have changed, what results they have achieved, working together.
Do you work with very complex and “intimate” subjects and your clients may not want to give you a testimonial? Well, they are always within their rights to tell their experience or not, and you must respect that. But it is not necessary that they have private or very personal questions, the simplicity is in the approach they can give you. For example, "I gained a lot of clarity in what I really wanted to do with my life, and I was able to make difficult decisions that I had been putting off for years, thanks to having worked this year with Juanita."
3. - Too personal information
Here I will make an important clarification. Connecting with people often involves opening the door a little to some personal issues, and that is not entirely wrong. In a way, and here you choose what space you give it, this allows people to see you as human, with needs and stories similar to what they might feel. That is why I like to tell sometimes that I took a vacation because I was very tired and needed to recharge batteries, or that I had a very difficult week or until I had spent a family day in this or that place. This is your decision, whether you count it or not, but it is not a problem.
Now, it is quite common for people to decide to open a company page on Facebook (to promote their services or their business) and leave it fully linked to their personal page. Here the problem arises if in your personal profile you decide to post ideas, comments, images or even if you are tagged in photos in undesirable situations (even when they are old photos). It is one thing for your clients to know that you are a person with real interests, and quite another to see your “less” professional side.
Of course, we all have our private life and we have the right to live it as we please. But we also have the right to maintain that privacy and not show it to those with whom we do not have such a close relationship. A relationship with a client will never cease to be a professional relationship even when there is a wonderful connection and a framework of complete trust. Your client needs to continue to feel that they have a 7x24 professional in front of them.
4. - A messy or very “amateur” web page
The truth is that regarding this point there is a lot of information to discuss. A website is often the center of action when you have an internet business or when you promote your business through this medium. So you should not underestimate the power that this tool (your website) can have to attract or repel potential customers.
First of all, I am going to suggest that you be very orderly in the information you want to show. The simpler you keep it, the more you will get results because your clients will find what they were looking for. Also remember that, as my mentor used to say, "confused mind does not buy", which means that no matter how much you want to give her dozens of different options, you will end up dizzy and finally she will be confused and without your services. Second, think twice if you want to include ads on your page. It is one thing to have the occasional notice, on some pages or on your blog, and quite another to plague your website with advertisements for other products. Remember that your website is the center of action for you to sell your services, it is not a shared content platform whose clients are the ones who want to place advertisements.
A page can be simple, without "special effects", with a simple and inexpensive design. You don't need to spend money you don't have on making a great website. But yes, it is the face of your "office" on the internet and you cannot allow someone to visit you and feel that it is not a place where they would like to place their trust and thus hire your services. Remember, just that you are just starting a professional business (or at least you are just starting to expose yourself on the internet), it does not mean that you have to look like an amateur or beginner.
I hope that this reflection by these 4 factors that can influence the results of your business, has been useful to you and you have managed to take a different look at the benefits that the internet can bring you, if you really know how to use it. But now I would like to ask you something: Have you had a bad experience regarding any of these factors, in your business or in that of a supplier that you have decided not to hire? I would love for you to tell me your opinion, in the comments below!
