So how do you go about establishing your online credibility? You can do so in a few easy steps.

1) Come Up with Your Story

You need to have a compelling “where I came from” story.

Have you ever noticed how just about every product ever invented has a story? Weight loss products tell the story of someone who was perpetually overweight finally losing the fat. Real estate gurus talk about how they went from rags to riches.

Stories are compelling. Figure out an attention-catching, respect-inspiring story to base your online identity around.

2) What Results Have You Personally Gotten?

Don’t be afraid to share the results that you’ve personally gotten.

If you’re giving advice about how to make money, share exactly how you are making money. If you’re giving advice about losing weight, share your exact measurements.

People want to be able to relate to you. They want to be able to feel that you’re one of them, you know what they’re going through, and that if you can do it so can they.

3) Proof Elements on Your Page

You should have several proof elements readily visible on your web page.

For example, if you’ve appeared on radio stations, put the logos of the radio stations on your page under “as seen on.”

If you have before and after photos, put those on your page as well.

The idea is to give people bite-sized chunks of credibility. They might not even consciously look at it, but just having them there makes a difference.

4) Credibility in the First Impression

The first impression is very important. Though you can’t tell your whole story in the first impression, it’s important that you have one or two proof elements here.

Have a before and after picture above the fold. Or have a killer testimonials prominently displayed on the front page. Or have your most spectacular achievement showcased upfront.

5) Get Social Proof

Social proof is one of the most powerful ways of building credibility. Why? Because it doesn’t come from you.

Social proof means that other people who have no financial gain from endorsing you like your product enough to go out of their way to help you. It sends a strong message.

Social proof includes comments on blog posts, testimonials on other people’s blogs or word of mouth endorsements from friend to friend.

These are a few of the most powerful ways to establish your credibility online. In the beginning, this process takes quite a bit of thought, as you have to plan out your story and discover your proof elements. Once you’ve got it down, however, your proof elements will keep working for you again and again, without you having to do much work.

So how do you create this instant credibility? How do you demonstrate to your clients that you can be trusted?

Professional Policies and Procedures

One of the best ways to establish trust and credibility with your prospects instantly is to make sure you represent your company in a professional and credible manner. The simplest way to accomplish this is to publish your policies and procedures on your website. Make sure the page is easy to find and that it covers all the information someone would want to know. For example, what is your privacy policy? What is your return policy? Do you have a guarantee?

Transparency is a key credibility builder. Consider also including an FAQ page on your site. It may cover much of the same material that your policies and procedures page covers, but that’s okay.

Large Networking Presence

More than 400 million people are on Facebook right now. It’s important to have a presence on mainstream social networking sites. It’s also important to integrate your activity and social networking presence on your website. For example, include links to your social networking profile on your site. Allow people to share and follow you.

Social networking is a credibility builder because it’s a personal way to connect with your company. Again, it goes back to transparency and availability. If you’re open and easy to connect with online, it builds trust.

Additionally, if you’re connecting with other notable experts on social networking sites your prospects will notice that. You’ll earn credibility by association.

Great Content

Finally, great content is essential to building credibility. You want to make sure your content positions you as a knowledgeable expert in your industry. You can publish content on your website or blog. You can also publish content on your social networking site.

Each article, blog post, or web page will ideally offer value to your reader. When you offer value, you help build a foundation of trust with your readers. They begin to learn from you and about you. This helps them feel like you’re a company they can count on to continue to solve their problems.

In addition to publishing great content, it’s also helpful to publish content frequently – and on other websites. For example, if you are able to publish content on your site and contribute to other relevant blogs as a guest blogger it helps establish your credibility. If other business owners are turning to you for great content, then you must be an expert!

Building instant credibility isn’t difficult but it does take a plan. Represent your business in a professional manner. Make sure to be completely transparent and to publish content that offers value.

Freebies

Everyone enjoys a good freebie. When you provide your customers with regular value that costs them nothing, not even their email address, they really start to feel appreciated. They also start to truly appreciate you too. Freebies can come in the form of promotional offers like a BOGO (buy one get one).

You can also share free downloads and information. It’s more than offering free content. Offer free downloads too. Think about reports, videos, checklists, comparison charts, workbooks, and lists. Help your customer by providing extra value for free.

Superior Customer Service

Over deliver when it comes to customer service. Provide them with an exceptional customer service experience and make sure the experience is consistent. Each time you interact with a customer – whether it is on a social networking site, via telephone or email or face to face – make sure they know how much you appreciate them.

How? Create systems that support a great experience. Autoresponders can ensure each customer email is acknowledged in a timely manner. Apparent policies and procedures and a FAQ page can help ensure customers can easily find answers to their questions. And a friendly, polite, and welcoming communication can reinforce your customer service vision.

Quality!

Make sure everything you do is done to the best of your ability. Always put forth quality information, products and services. Quality matters. It not only helps you earn customer love; it also helps build credibility and authority in your industry. People will share the good news about you and your business. You’ll receive referrals and recommendations. It’s one of the best ways to build a business.

Create high expectations for yourself and your business. Then rise up to the challenge to meet them. Provide an exceptional customer service experience. Give your customers a steady supply of no cost value, and take steps to ensure each and every product or service you deliver or represent is top notch.

Treat your customers like you want to be treated and you’ll be well on your way to building a loyal and loving customer list. They’ll buy from you more often. They’ll refer you to others and they’re the best people to work with. Loving customers make being a business owner worthwhile.

#1 Create Networking Goals

What do you want to achieve with your networking efforts? For example, do you want to create partnerships with other business owners? Do you want to broaden awareness of your brand or drive traffic to your website? Do you want to increase credibility? Decide what your goals are and then you can move onto the next step which is to plan how you’re going to achieve your goals.

#2 Choose Your Tactics

Once you have your goals, plan how you’re going to achieve them. This step involves two considerations:

1. How much time do you have to commit to networking?
2. What tactics best support your goals?

For example, if you want to generate partnerships with other business owners you might choose to attend a local networking meeting each month. This may easily fit into your available time and schedule. If your goal is to drive traffic to your website, then you may choose to focus on social networking sites. This tactic may require a daily time commitment of an hour or more which may or may not fit into your goals.

#3 Take Good Care of Your Contacts

Regardless of the goals you have, it’s important to take great care of your new contacts. Touch base with them on a consistent basis. Provide value. Send information, notes and clippings to professional contacts. Send articles, videos and valuable email messages to social networking contacts. The more you take care of your new contacts, the more value they’ll provide you. Your networking efforts will be worth your time and energy.

#4 Turn Your New Contacts Into More New Contacts.

Networking has the power to multiply your efforts. For example, you might create a referral program. Each contact or customer who sends you a new customer might receive a reward. Also, the more value you provide, the more likely your new contacts will tell others about your business. Put your networking contacts to work for you.

#5 Schedule Your Networking

Networking can take over your life. However, you can gain control of it by simply adding your networking time into your schedule. Plan time for it so you can stay in charge. Also consider using technology to help you maximize your time. Email groups and autoresponder can help you send messages to new contacts. Social networking applications can also help you schedule posts in advance.

Taking charge of your networking is as simple as setting goals, creating a plan and scheduling your tactics. Use your resources to maximize your time.

If you’re not interested in selling your e-book, then consider these fantastic benefits you gain whether you sell it or give it away.

A Credibility and Authority Boost

We give authors our confidence. Writing and publishing an e-book will give you and your business a credibility boost. It essentially establishes you as an expert in your industry. When you write a book that helps your customers and prospects solve their problems, people consider you a credible authority on your subject. They’ll turn to you for advice and assistance. Additionally, credibility and authority are both buying triggers. You’ll earn customers when you write a book.

Branding, Exposure and Awareness

When you write an e-book your business brand is enhanced. You’re going to reach more people through publication so your exposure and awareness will also be increased. Branding, exposure and awareness all help you grow your business. Through your book marketing efforts, press and publicity and through word of mouth, it’s not unheard of to triple your audience. You just have to write a book.

More Opportunities

Through both the press you receive for your book and through increased credibility, awareness and exposure, you’re going to catch the eye of the public. Some of the people who read or learn about your book are going to be interested in working with you. You’ll receive new opportunities. Through these opportunities you can grow your business.

For example, you may have an opportunity to be interviewed for your local newspaper. A fellow business owner may contact you through this press and offer you a partnership opportunity. There’s no telling what opportunities are in store for you when you write a book.

Finally, writing a book provides you with an entry into your sales funnel if you give it away for free. If you sell the book then you have another product to market and profit from. There really is no downside to writing an e-book. They’re easy to create and even easier to distribute. All you need is a sales page and a download link. A little marketing and you have yourself an amazing business-building tool.

Many people hesitate to write an e-book. They think it’s going to be a lot of work, or they’re afraid they’re not qualified to write a book. Writing a book is much like writing copy for your website. With a plan, passion for your topic, and the ability to write conversationally, you can write a book.

This is the kind of knowledge that can really make a difference when planning your next marketing campaign, since the longer your material stays on the minds of your target audience, the more you get from each dollar spent getting that message out to them.

The book breaks down the creation of sticky ideas into a formula made up of six element; simplicity, unexpectedness, concreteness, credibility, emotions and stories. Using examples from the real world including sticky ideas ranging anywhere from real world ad campaigns to urban legends that everyone has heard of and no one can forget, the brothers do an excellent job of clearly demonstrating the application of the principals that they write about.

Over the next few weeks we’ll do an series of six posts, an element by element review of the theories put forth in Made to Stick, analyzing the ideas set forth in each section and seeing if the ideas the brothers are presenting are in themselves sticky! Make sure to check back often, so as not to miss any of the six parts!