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Whether you rely on inbound leads or outbound sales efforts, it’s important to keep in mind that there are often 6 or more touch points with a prospect before they reach out to you or respond to your efforts to connect.
One of the major touchpoints often involved is your company’s website. Often, your firm’s B2B website is not only a major touchpoint but is the first touchpoint that a prospect has with your company. In addition to making a positive first impression, your website can be used throughout the lead nurturing process to share information, educate, and provide contact points to the prospect.
So, does your current B2B website design engender trust or does it make your company look like a shady operation?
In this post, I’ll share 5 web design elements that are crucial to building up trust with potential and existing clients.
Clear, concise copy
How you communicate on your website speaks volumes about what it’s like to work with you. If your website showcases clear, disciplined copy that speaks to the needs and challenges of your target market, it builds a solid foundation of respect and trust.
If your website is full of a bunch of industry or internal jargon or is unclear of what problems you can uniquely solve, you are letting website visitors know that either you don’t understand or don’t care to understand them. That doesn’t go very far to build a strong relationship.
Working with a seasoned, professional copywriter who is experienced in writing for websites is your best bet for translating your value proposition clearly to your target market.
Customer testimonials
Would you hire the first contractor you find online to come and do a $20,000 bathroom remodel without seeing what past clients have said about them? Probably not. So why would your prospects risk the same amount of their company’s money (or more) without learning what experienced customers have to say about your company?
Remember, in B2B, choosing a vendor is more than just budget allocation and spend. The choice of a vendor can often affect how someone is viewed by their bosses and peers. As such, it’s critical to showcase third-party collected customer reviews, like the reviews that UpCity’s platform collects. Not only are prospects able to see what it’s like to work with you or use your products, they know that a third-party company has vetted the reviews to ensure they weren’t drafted up by your internal marketing department.
Current client logos
A big part of building trust with website visitors is showing them your past and current client roster. An easy, visual way to do this is by using a display of client logos. Once you have the OK from your clients, past or present, add the logos to your website in a section called “Who We Work With,” “Our Clients,” or “Past Projects” or even on the homepage.
Not only does the representation of current clients build trust, but it also educates prospects about what types of projects or clients you take on. It can serve as a visitor self-qualifying or disqualifying tool. If they see you only work with the biggest names, like Fortune 500 companies, they will understand that you don’t take on one-person consulting firms. It also gives them insight into what industries you have experience working in and whether you have worked with anyone in their industry. Listing client logos is essentially a virtual resume or portfolio.
Industry associations or partnerships
Sharing the industry associations or partnerships your firm maintains is another credibility piece. Be sure to include reputable and/or prestigious industry associations. Always include mention of the process to achieve or uphold memberships or accreditations as well.
For lesser-known brands or start-ups, partnerships can be an opportunity to establish a strong relationship and show who is backing up the claims you are making about your products or services. It’s important to be transparent about a partnership vs a testimonial. By being clear about the details of your partnership, you show prospects that they can expect honest, clear communication from you.
About section
This section is often undervalued when it comes to website design. I can’t tell you how many websites I’ve visited that have a generic About us page that gives a two-sentence description of the company and reveals almost nothing about a company’s culture, values, or mission statement. Many times, the About us page can be the second most visited page on the website behind the homepage.
When done properly, the About us (or Who We Are or Our Company) section of a website is a great way to build a bridge of familiarity and trust with a prospect. They don’t want to work with a faceless vendor. They want to build a relationship with a vendor who acts more like a partner and looks out for their needs. A great About section will share a bit about your company’s beginnings, the evolution of your products or services, what you value, and what you strive to deliver to your customers. A custom About section demonstrates you are looking to build relationships, not just your company’s worth.
Building trust is crucial to building relationships
Every strong, enduring relationship is built on trust. If you are looking to attract, nurture, and maintain strong relationships with your clients and prospects, add these five trust-building elements to your B2B website and digital presence.