Credibility for Sole Traders & Trades

Often start-up businesses and trades people who work from a home office present their business cards, brochures or leaflets with just a mobile phone number on it. This doesn’t help to build credibility and credibility is essential to do business. Anyone can buy a mobile phone without any proof of identification. It’s of the utmost importance therefore to build credibility with whatever you’ve got.

1. Include your address, even though it may be in a housing estate. People like to know where they might be able to find you if things go wrong. It gives a customer, especially a first time customer some security.
2. Include a landline. With a landline, either you or your business are officially registered with the landline / phone company and so there is a record of your existence.
3. Include your email. This along with your phone numbers shows that you are reasonably easy to contact and that you want to be contacted.
4. Include your website. A huge percentage of people check out the web and your website before they do business or contract you or your service.
5. Design a professional business card, brochure or leaflet suitable for your industry. Never use clip art! It simply doesn’t look professional!
6. Use testimonials from your happy customers on your leaflets, brochures, fliers and website. Ask some of your customers if it’s okay to give their name and number for a reference. However these customer contact details are never published just given privately and where appropriate.

In summary

Make it easy for customers to contact you and check out your credentials. Make sure your customers are confident to use you, your product or your service. Be professional and look professional.

If you need some more help in this area, contact Austin in Print Depot on 01 4568592.