Blogs are a GREAT way to build credibility and trust with your prospective customers/clients. If you’re selling e-books or copy paper, building credibility isn’t important. However, if you’re selling something of substance such as your time and expertise, then building credibility is the most important “marketing” you can engage in.
The thing is, the reason blogs are such a GREAT way to build credibility and trust is that it’s hard to fake expertise over the course of a hundred or so posts because when you blog, you reveal yourself.
This morning, I saw on my iGoogle that the RSS feed that the blog of an author I respect and admire had been updated after several weeks of inactivity. I had heard great things about this guy and even though I don’t know him personally, he already had a substantial balance build up by reputation in his “trust account” with me.
When I discovered he had a blog, I subscribed to the RSS immediately. However, his posting to his blog is spotty and his posts didn’t seem to have much “body”. However, he’s got a nice trust balance with me, so every time he posts, I’m there. I’m reading but I’m definitely not commenting. After all, what could I do to add to a conversation with someone of HIS caliber?
He began with the tired blogging excuse “I’ve been busy.” OK.. I’ll buy that. After all, he’s already got my respect and trust. However, he then launches into the tired MMO (make money online) tactic of “look how rich I am.” He writes about how he’s property shopping for a 2nd home and he’s posting links to lavish builder’s sites in a warm climate.
OOPS! His trust account balance just went to zero in my book.
In today’s post, at the bottom, I saw an offer for a product -a product which I would have bought… had there been ANY trust left in the account.
Contrast that to my experience with Monika Mundell who maintains the The Writers Manifesto.
I stumbled upon Monika’s blog and subscribed to the RSS feed. I began reading her posts and after a while, began to comment. I’m not a freelance writer, but I am interested in honing my writing skills and her posts were instructional and well written. Then, I saw Monika begin posting on another blog to which I subscribe. She is writing great posts like Make Money with Freelance Writing but the interesting thing is, while it’s still “her writing” she has successfully assumed the “voice” of this established blog.
NICE!!!
I’m swamped yet I have a new project I’m nurturing so I hired Monika to write the articles for me. We connected via email and a few days later VIOLA… I have 8 great articles ready to go, even though the past two days have been “no shower” days for me! She did an INCREDIBLE job. It’s like I wrote them (after reading all her posts and following all of her “rules”)… but I didn’t – she did.
I’ve been watching Monika blog for a while now and by watching her, I could tell she was walking the walk. However, in just a few months of subscribing to the “highly hyped” writer’s blog, I can see he’s all talk and no walk.
Blogs are a great way to establish credibility and trust… even when you aren’t aware that people are watching!
Hi Cathy,
Thank you for your really nice write up about my services. I can honestly tell you have been a fabulous client to work with too so the honor was all mine. 🙂
Credibility is a very delicate thing though isn’t it. Because we can’t see bloggers at face value, we use their blogs to judge them. While most often we can get a pretty neat picture, sometimes we also get it wrong as I have personally found out.
My apologies for posting this rather late. For some reasons your trackback never showed in my blog. Luckily I stopped by today.
Monika Mundell’s last blog post..Writing For Niches
I have to agree blogs builds a lot of trust among your readers. Especially if you connect with them. Twitter is also another good way to boost your trust with your readers.
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