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Make a good first impression

Nobody wants to get scammed. When people visit you online for the first time, reassure them. Remove their worries about the unknown. Provide as many of the following confidence-building signals as you can.

Correct English.
Studies show that typos and grammatical errors inspire suspicion.  Spellcheck and proofread everything.

Functionality.
All your bells and whistles need to work.

Company background.
People want to know who you are, how long you've been at it, your credentials or track record. Photos help, too.

Contact information. 
Provide an email address, phone number and your geographical location.  A contact form by itself is insufficient.

Trust badges.  
Certification from reputable organizations help to vouch your trustworthiness. These can include, but are not limited to Norton, VeriSign, TRUSTe or the Better Business Bureau.

Guarantee.  
If appropriate for what you sell, offer some sort of money-back guarantee. This can help ease concerns of those new to you.

Reviews, testimonials.  
These prove that you didn't start up yesterday.  

A personal touch.
Your writing and graphics should show a distinct angle or attitude. This will make you more genuine and less like a fly-by-night scammer.


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