Online businesses are slowly gaining momentum within the industry. They are angling for a future takeover, thanks to their easy penetration, information dissemination and after-sale services. However, since it is an emerging practice, there are grey areas that need clarification if people are to trust this approach fully. Below are some of the practices that online businesses should fulfil if they are to gain public trust in Kenya.
About Us Section
This section introduces the website visitor to the business. It should have all important information about the business, including its leaders and affiliations. People need to see who is behind the business, what they do and who can vouch for them. If possible, illustrate what you do in detail and how it fairs in the marketplace.
A business without a clear “About Us” section casts doubts in the reader’s mind. They cannot place you in any specific industry or get a reference from your previous clients. Buyers or customers want to associate a brand with a person so that they know who to apportion praise or blame. If you do not have leaders or affiliations, the trust you have in the market may diminish with time.
Contact Information
Although most online businesses operate on a customer-delivery model, having a formal business premise for the records is advisable. It helps the customer know where to go when the online customer relationship breaks. Phone numbers and email addresses are mandatory as they are the easiest link to getting answers. If possible, include a clear map of the location. Seamless communication and feedback are key to any online business and form a bridge between demand and supply.
Business Identity
With many online businesses available, customers are looking for anything that stands out. These are logos, mission, vision and brief history. The majority that comes in may be due to advertising, but long-lasting businesses deal have less to do with contemporary marketing.
Your logo should be catchy and have unique corporate colours. Ensure you have at least one serene colour, like any shade of blue or white. Avoid match-mixing shouting colours as they might cancel out the corporate appeal.
The mission and vision should speak towards a broader picture, which seeks to improve humanity. It should speak more of the impact than profits. Lastly, a brief history shows the journey, lessons learned, growth witnessed and current position. It shows your experience in the business. In essence, people buy experience, not the goods and services offered.
Reliability
Most online businesses are built on trust, reliability and consistency. The seller hopes that whatever you say you will do, it will happen within the timeframe given and in the manner agreed. The best form of customer reach-out is by word of mouth. You gain more conversions using word of mouth than the contemporary marketing approaches.
Most importantly, keep time, give out the right information and deliver goods or services that the customer asked for. Invest more in customer feedback and implement them to grow your relationship with customers and partners.