Without a physical store or office in a major building, you may have to work harder to gain the trust of potential customers and established customers.
Establishing credibility is one of the biggest challenges business owners face home based. If people don't trust your business, they will hesitate to use your products or services, and they will face a lot of scrutiny before closing each deal.
While it's easy to change your physical environment when renovating your study or guest room into an office space, credibility issues can persist. For example, since home business owners may have fewer face-to-face meetings with clients, colleagues, and prospects, each interaction leaves little room for error.
So how do you ensure that your prospects and customers perceive your business as a legitimate and trustworthy establishment? Here are five ways you can establish the credibility of your home-based business.
1. Know your audience
When you are running a business, you will have to interact with different types of people. For example, if you provide home services such as plumbing, HVAC, or electrical repair, you may need to meet with suppliers to obtain their products or materials. You will also need to meet with potential clients to offer your service.
Each of these audiences will have different expectations and different views of your credibility. For example, if you appear to be too glib to your suppliers, they will doubt your expertise and question the value of your business. On the other hand, if you appear to be too sophisticated for your prospects, then they may think that you are out of their league or that your business doesn't meet their requirements.
2. Understand customer pain points
When a prospect evaluates your service, they are trying to find out whether your company understands their problems and is able to deal with the complexities they face.
One way to achieve this is to recognize the challenges and needs of your audience. For example, Dan Scott, principal at sales and marketing consulting firm ZS Associates, used this method when presenting to hundreds of sales executives at a major U.S. pharmaceutical company.
Before saying anything about his service, he described a day in the life of a pharmaceutical sales representative, minute by minute. The executives not only paid attention to what she was saying, but they even laughed and applauded at many of his points. They realized that Dan couldn't have gone into so much detail about his daily work unless he spent a lot of time learning about his processes and pain points. Acknowledging his work life was the first step in getting them to listen to what he had to offer.
3. Tell a great story
Storytelling is one of the most effective ways to build trust. It allows you to capture the attention of your audience, essential to establishing credibility. Each story has a different emotional impact. The key is to select a plot that resonates with your audience.
Here are three graphics you can use to motivate your audience:
- Origin story: How did your business start? What problems did you face? How has your journey been so far? These stories will portray you as a fighter and inspire your audience to associate you with their business.
- Overcome adversity: These are stories that threaten your prospects' survival or prevent them from achieving their goals. For example, if your audience is real estate agents, you can talk about the “5 biggest threats facing the real estate industry today” and how to overcome them. This will help you position yourself as an expert, and pitch your service as a solution.
- Success test: Provide a detailed story of how you helped a specific client, very similar to your target audience, or a summarized account of how you have served x number of clients in your industry. Use customer testimonials to share anecdotes or present case studies of success stories. You can also include a video interview to reinforce your credibility.
4. Customize your personal story
People like to work with real people, instead of faceless companies. Make sure you tell your customers about the real people behind your business.
According to psychologist Robert Cialdini, We not only like people who we perceive are like us, but it is also likely that your ideas are very persuasive. In other words, if people find you like them, they will trust you.
So whenever they hear questions like “tell me your story” or “tell me about yourself,” tell them a story that intersects with your own life. For example, if you meet a Cubs fan, show them a photo of you with your kids at Wrigley Field and talk about how you enjoyed the game. On the other hand, if you meet a software developer, talk about your favorite apps and how you use them.
5. Get feedback and improve your credibility
When you work from a home office, it can be difficult to imagine how others view your business. Therefore, It is important to communicate with trusted colleagues who are similar to your target audience, get their feedback and refine communications. Ask them:
What can they remember? If people remember the key information they convey, their perception will be as desired.
How do you feel? How do they feel after talking to you or sitting through your presentation? If they feel confused, find out what aspects of their communication they found confusing and how you can improve them. Additionally, observe non-verbal aspects of communication, such as tone of voice and body language, to understand how your message is received.
How do they respond? What action do they take after listening to you? It's not enough to make them trust your business, they have to take action.
The key is to communicate that you understand your target audience, your problems and needs, and that you have a solution. This will make them more receptive to your products or services. Identify their objections and concerns, and respond with engaging stories they can relate to.
Keep testing and refining your communication regularly. Whether you invite your clients to your home or meet them at a coffee shop, these principles will ensure that you build credibility and create a positive impact.
