Social Proof

Credibility Factors To Include On Your Website

5 Credibility Factors To Include On Your Website To Win Your Next Client

Just about anyone can be anything these days.

With online courses and straight ambition to get it done, you don’t need a college degree to be whatever you want to be (except for some more professional roles). 

While that is freeing and amazing in our opinion, it also means that there’s a lot of people who say they can do it BUT they aren’t necessarily the best to do it. 

That’s why it’s more critical for you to establish your credibility online than ever before. We call those the credibility factors.

What Is A Credibility Factor?

Credibility is “a measure of how believable and trustworthy your marketing is perceived to be” (Unbounce). When you present credibility to your audience, you are helping them hedge their risk in engaging with you. And there are several ways you can accomplish that on your website – the credibility factors – which we’ll cover in this blog. 

Schedule a discovery call today to learn how FocusCopy can integrate credibility factors into your business.

Why Include Credibility Factors On Your Website

With Nigerian princes and long lost cousins, it’s reasonable to understand why so many people are skeptical. As a business owner, you need to be able to effectively communicate to a stranger what you do and why you are the person or company to hire. And you do that through either certifications or social proof – two of the most popular credibility factors. 

Here are a couple reasons why you need to include these factors on your website:

  • You are a safe entity to do business with
  • You are equipped to do the work with efficiency and quality
  • Other people have trusted you
  • You are reliable 
  • You are recognized publicly

Where Should You Put Credibility Factors On Your Website

Depending on your style of website, there are several places that you can place your credibility factors on your website. Those include: 

  • Directly underneath the hero banner (first section of the page)
  • After a call to action
  • Before the final call to action 
  • Where you need a transition 

5 Credibility Factors To Include On Your Website

Don’t know where to start? Here are 5 credibility factors to include on your website. You by no means need to include all of these. But try to include at least one factor on each page of your website. 

1. Trusted By

If you have been listed as a preferred provider for a well known company or entity, include those logos. When you associate your business with other well known organizations, it communicates to your audience that you took the time to get certified, have good relationships with other providers, and do good work. 

Credibility Factors To Include On Your Website

2. Credentials

If you have been certified by an authority or certifying organization, include those seals. In addition, you can also include any awards or recognitions that you’ve received. 

If you are a newer business and don’t have any of the following factors, this is a great one to include. 

3. Social Proof

People do business with people they know, like, and trust. But how do you get them to know, like, or trust you when you’re a complete stranger? You prove to them that you are worthy of them knowing, liking, and trusting you. And you do that by providing social proof. 

There are three primary ways that you can display your social proof.

Testimonials

Testimonials or reviews are our favorite ways to display social proof. Even more so than that, you can actually use your customers’ words in your overall marketing. They don’t tell you to speak your customers’ language for nothing. 

If you don’t have testimonials, ask for them. Here are a couple of ways we’ve collected reviews:

  • Collect feedback at the end of a project, type up the review, and send them an email with the review and platform links
  • Send an email campaign to get reviews
  • Call them up and ask for it directly
  • Offer them a spotlight on your email newsletter or social media platforms in exchange for a testimonial
Credibility Factors To Include On Your Website

Case Studies 

What better way to prove you can solve a problem than to show how you’ve solved a similar problem before? 

Write a brief summary of an issue a customer encountered and how your business provided a solution with positive results. Make sure to drop keywords of the services provided, how your existing processes made it simple, and why your business is always willing to go the extra mile.

Need help summarizing your case studies into meaningful and converting copy? Schedule a discovery call today!

Connections

As an introvert, I’m really good one on one. In group settings, I am the least effective connector. That’s why I often go to networking events with at least 3-5 people beside me. But I learned that even though I did all the work and connected with over 1,200 people over two years, my cold audience had no clue. 

So I had to build in marketing that literally proved that I was well connected. This could look like listing my strategic partners, telling client stories, tagging clients and partners on social media, and placing client logos on the site. 

4. Press Mentions 

If you’ve been mentioned in the press, been a guest on a podcast, or shown up publicly as an authority figure, then yell it from the rooftops. This credibility factor is often shown as the “as seen on” sections. You know the ones with the Good Morning America, Forbes, and Entrepreneur logos. 

5. Warranties Or Guarantees

You heard what I said at the beginning of this blog…Credibility hedges risk. When you offer a warranty or guarantee, it also hedges any risk that might come from someone investing in your business. 

Need To Spruce Up Your Website Copy?

Your website can be your greatest asset. That’s if it conveys your products, services, solutions, and credibility. But we know that running your business doesn’t leave you with much time to master the art of website copy. That’s where FocusCopy comes in. 

We’ve worked with over 80 brands from 4 different countries to take the writing off of entrepreneurs’ and business owners’ plates. Stop thinking about what your website can do for you and start experiencing it. Contact FocusCopy today and get excited to proudly share your caffeinated copy. 

Focus Your Copy On Conversation & Conversion

Let’s Grab A Virtual Coffee With Us To Discover How To Boost Your Words
Persuasion Principles To Write Converting Copy

How To Use Persuasion Principles To Write Converting Copy

There is a lot noise in the world. 

And it can be deafening. 

That’s why you as a business owner need to be more persuasive and more engaging in your conversations with your target audience to rise above the noise. 

How do you go about doing that? 

You use persuasion principles to write converting copy

What Are The Persuasion Principles?

Robert B. Cialdini, author of Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, developed these persuasion strategies to influence people to do, think, or say certain things. They’re easy strategies to use in your business writing that help customers understand exactly how valuable your services are. With the right persuasion tactics, you can give your potential leads clear vision for how you can improve their lives. 

Before you get into a mindset of persuasion is simply manipulation, I want to reframe that thought. 

With your copy, I don’t want you to force anyone or manipulate anyone to purchase your offering if it isn’t solving a real problem (whatever that problem will be). For example, we offer copywriting services. However, if a person is dead set on not producing any copy (for whatever reason), I am not going to manipulate or force them into something they are not interested in. That’s sleazy and is not the intent of this article. Instead, we’re just using these principles to frame your work in the best possible light.

Reciprocity

Reciprocity is one of my favorite persuasion principles. Maybe it’s my people-pleasing tendencies, but I love giving something back if someone has given me something. Reciprocity is “a relation of mutual dependence or action or influence” (WordHippo).

BNI is a referral networking organization that exemplifies this persuasion principle really well. They rely on the principle of “Giver’s Gain”. In other words, if I give you referrals, I will receive referrals in return. In my personal experience with BNI, this rings true every single time I pass qualified referrals to another member. 

Commitment & Consistency

This may top reciprocity as my favorite principle. From an early age, I remember being frustrated when people would say “yes” and then say “no” when a better option came along. As a result, I developed a mentality that my “yeses” will be 100%. There is no turning back. No returns or takebacks. When you commit and remain consistent, you build credibility with the other party. 

In simple terms, this is best displayed when you make your vows to your spouse to love them through sickness and health. But it could also show in your public pursuit of a conspiracy theory (even if the evidence stacks against it). 

Social Proof

Social proof might sound like a foreign concept, but we all know it by a more familiar term – peer pressure. When you employ social proof in your writing, you’re using the age old tactic of “C’mon! Everyone else is doing it!” 

While we’ve all heard we shouldn’t jump off a cliff (even if all our friends are doing it), social proof is surprisingly effective. 

Likability

You know what they say… It’s critical to build your know, like, and trust factor with your audience. And that’s because people buy from people they know, like, and trust. 

Recently, I talked with a salesperson who retired from a company after 30 years. His clients stuck with him over decades not because he had the best product or even the best price. It was because if there was ever an issue or if they ever had a question, they could pick up the phone and talk with my friend. 

 After my friend retired, the company’s relationship with the client strayed. It got to a point where the client called my friend directly to help solve the problem. Turns out, the new salesmen at the company approached the relationship as a transactional one. 

If you can, approach every client relationship (prospective or otherwise) with a relational perspective. Be likable. Get to know them. Build a friendship. 

Authority

Let’s say you don’t have a likable personality, don’t have social proof, don’t want to give back, and lack consistency. Even then, we have a persuasion principle for you!

Establishing authority is a great persuasion tool for all business models. Even if your business was founded this year, you have one employee on staff, and you’ve never made a large sale, you can still establish your authority in your industry. It might not be easy, but it’s possible!

It’s like resume building right out of college. You’re not going to lie, but you’re going to focus on your business’s strengths.

Scarcity

We’ve all done it. We’ve all been at a super sale of our favorite stores and bought something we shouldn’t have. What drove each of us to temporarily go insane and ignore our carefully constructed budgets? Was it the “Don’t miss out! This sale is ending soonsigns that elevated your heart rate? Perhaps seeing that thing you wanted so badly sitting on an empty shelf put you in a panic. 

We’ve all bought into the idea of scarcity. The thought might have crossed your mind that if you didn’t grab it right that second, you might never find such a good deal again. Finding a way to frame your own products or services in this mindset will create an urgency for clients to take action and will ultimately close deals.

Persuasion Principles Applied In Copywriting 

So now that you know about the persuasion principles, how do you actually go about applying them in your copywriting? 

Reciprocity in Copywriting

“So, what’s it in for me?”

Buyers today expect to receive something in return for their business. It isn’t a case of giving payment and receiving what you asked for anymore. You, as a business, must do more. Think, “How can I reward loyal customers? How can I show clients that our partnership will be mutually beneficial?” 

The easiest way to do this is to create some sort of high-value offer like a guide, template, or cheatsheet. Something that your audience will find valuable without requiring even more from them. 

For example, we created a bunch of resources over the last year. One, in particular, has been really effective for us in giving value away for free. It’s our How To Answer The 6 Most Important Questions On Your Home Page Guide. If you look further down this page, you’ll find what you can discover inside the guide without having to fill out your contact information. 

Download this free guide here.

Here are a couple more ideas for how to write out this reciprocity principle. 

Ashlyn Writes
Jenna Kutcher
ClickUp
Persuasion Principles To Write Converting Copy
PandaDoc
Amy Porterfield

Commitment & Consistency in Copywriting

At FocusCopy, we exist to build up and support female entrepreneurs. Now, we don’t exclusively work with female entrepreneurs; however, we want to find opportunities to help those women, create custom offerings to grow their businesses, and generally cheer them on as they grow their ventures. 

We are committed to our mission, and we make that commitment known in our writing. If you read any of our blogs or even just peruse our website, this mission is consistently visible. Make your commitments known to your audience!

You can demonstrate your consistency through helpful statistics. Do you know how much money you save your clients in the long term? Do you have 100% customer satisfaction? If there is solid evidence that your business can achieve a consistent result, let your customers know. 

Amy Porterfield

Social Proof in Copywriting

No one likes to feel like an outsider – especially when being an insider has so many benefits! Call out all the ways your potential customers would “miss out” if they didn’t decide to work with you or buy your product. More importantly, highlight all the benefits that are waiting for them if they decide to say yes. 

Show off glowing reviews from favorite past customers, highlight impressive brands you’ve worked with, and lean on the tangible data that proves just how good you are at solving your customers’ problems. Social proof is all about making a customer wish they had worked with you sooner. 

Savvy Chic Design
Keap
AWAI

Likability in Copywriting

You can be more likable in your writing by being more personal and vulnerable. The About Page on your website is an awesome place to tell your story and build connections with potential customers. But you can be personal in any and all of your business copy. 

If you’re worried this might make your copy seem unprofessional or too touchy-feely, try looking at it another way. You’re just a human being talking to another human being. You want to help solve your customers’ problems and make their lives easier. Being professional does not mean acting like a corporate robot, so don’t be afraid to show a little bit of who you are in your writing.

ClickUp

Authority in Copywriting

If you have credentials – whether those are awards, certifications, etc. – list those. For example, you may boast that you’ve worked with over 75 brands across 4 countries, are endorsed by some hotshot celebrity, or have completed your Ph.D. Maybe your product is super high quality and blows your competition out of the water in every demo. Before you start writing, create an outline that puts your greatest strengths front and center.

Keap
Hubspot
ClickUp

Scarcity in Copywriting

When you put pressure on your target audience through limited time offers, deadlines, or limited availability, you increase the value of your products or services in the minds of your customers. That’s why we saw a shortage of toilet paper at the beginning of the COVID pandemic. People thought they wouldn’t be able to get toilet paper, so they cleared the shelves of every grocery store. 

If you’re selling services, you only have a finite amount of your time to sell. Remind your customers that your time is limited and valuable. 

Learn How We Persuade Your Potential Clients

If you don’t have time or struggle to write your own copy, we’re here to help. Whether you need a persuasive website, newsletter, or blog, we can turn your copy into a powerful sales tool for your business.

Contact us today for a free discovery call and get back to running your business.

Focus Your Copy On Conversation & Conversion

Let’s Grab A Virtual Coffee With Us To Discover How To Boost Your Words