Help Your Online Customers Feel Confident Even If Theyve Never Heard Of You

The Internet world is truly exciting ? there is no limit to what you can learn or how much you can earn. Every day, thousands of new people are staking their claim on the Internet, and putting up their own personal online storefronts, proudly displaying their wares to millions of potential customers.

Sounds great, doesn't it? It's the Internet dream. But there's one very big problem.

If your company or website is a new one - and many internet companies are relatively new because the Internet itself is still in its infancy ? then how can your potential customers trust you when you have not been in business long enough to build a track record?

And as a consumer, how do you know when you can trust what you see on a website? Anyone can put up a snazzy webpage these days. How can we as buyers know if we are just taking on headaches when we entrust our hard-earned dollars to an online merchant?

When you're considering spending your money online based on red-hot sales page, it's often a tough call.

I found two versions of what you might call the "online police" ? both of which have excellent reputations. One is the Better Internet Bureau, an organization based in Canada (http://www.better-internet-bureau.org), and another one is i-Cop, based in Louisiana (http://www.i-cop.org). In both cases, the organizations' names say it all.

Both groups exist to provide unbiased scrutiny of member websites, as well as to alert people to scams; and both provide their own seals as validation that a website has met their criteria for membership. The cost for the Better Business Bureau is $35 per year, and for i-Cop, it is $19.95 per month. i-Cop membership includes a private members site and hosting, and the Better Internet Bureau has a public forum open to all.

Becoming a member of a well-known internet organization such as these can greatly increase your credibility in the eyes of your customers. You know you're honest, but how does anyone else know when they just stumbled onto your website during an internet stroll? You can't go wrong considering membership in the online watchdog group of your choice ? it's just good for business. Increased customer confidence means a bigger check for you at the end of the month. I have seen some websites which are members of more than one group.

The more online businesses become members of similar groups, the more unusual it will seem when a commercial website does not display a membership in a group that holds it accountable for its dealings.

Watchdog organizations exist to benefit people, and for the online marketer, this will produce a win-win situation for the merchant and the customer.

It's all about credibility. Your customers need to know they can count on you ? and they need to know where they can turn if a merchant can't be trusted. Join a reputable online watchdog group, and ease your customer's mind about dealing online with you.

Tim Phillips is a marketing consultant who writes about Internet Marketing and other topics. His articles have appeared all over the internet. He is writing his first ebook based on what he has learned from http://www.ebookin7days.com.

---

Better Links Directory

The Most Successful Internet Marketing Model - Start with Free Tools, Spend Money Later

There is a particular web site where I regularly place... Read More

How To Increase Your Web Profits by Cutting the Hype

'Hype' is now an often used slang word which is... Read More

How I Submitted My Internet Marketing Articles To Only 20 Sites But Shortly 16,000 Sites Posted Them

There is no internet marketing chore that I enjoy more... Read More

Did You Say Free?!

There are books and web sites for the translation of... Read More

My Top 7 Favorite Ecommerce Tools

When you make your living on the Internet, you sometimes... Read More

Secrets To Successful Selling Online

What is the secret to selling online? This is a... Read More

Increasing The Perceived Value of Your Product or Service

Whether online or offline, small businesses often show little faith... Read More

5 Ways to Educate Your Prospects for More Sales

It's impossible to sell a product or service without demand... Read More

Internet Marketing and Your Old Age

Everybody wants to learn how to make money on the... Read More

Keywords are the Key

Niche marketing is focusing your business efforts to a target... Read More

10 Scorching Ways To Heat Up Your Sales

1. Email each visitor a satisfaction questionnaire after they purchase.... Read More

The Naughty Niches: Potential Gold Mines or Business Killers?

Okay, so you're looking for new ways to grow your... Read More

Book Yourself Solid Key Number 2: Choose Your Ideal Clients

The Book Yourself Solid article series continues withKey Number 2:... Read More

Five Step In To A Successful Online Shopping Business..

Before you set out to explore the online shopping market... Read More

Creating Multiple Streams Of Income Part 2

Over my years of experience in doing business on the... Read More

Internet Marketing Basics

Almost all of the articles on Internet marketing lacks coverage... Read More

Getting Some Good Ol Internet Real Estate

Real estate has made many people large amounts of money... Read More

Five Ways to Quadruple a Websites Revenue

Many website owners all too often give up on their... Read More

At Last, The Real Secret Of Internet Marketing

I am going to share a real secret with you... Read More

Standing Out Head and Shoulders Above the Rest

Using Online Communities to Differentiate Your WebsiteAs a young girl... Read More

5 Fast Ways to Improve Your Website

Building a website is easy. Building a successful e-business is... Read More

Surfing, Searching, & Networking 101

Everyone knows the internet can be very useful for finding... Read More

Beneath the Surface of Internet Marketing

To most people Internet Marketing looks like a good way... Read More

Making Money from Websites - Common Pitfalls of Beginners and How to Avoid Them

Making money online is really easy to do because the... Read More

You are Being Lied About Reciprocal Links!

Exchanging links has been an important part of generating traffic... Read More