One of the easiest ways to instantly increase your online sales conversions is also one of the most overlooked strategies on the Web.

It’s not a secret that online shoppers have serious TRUST issues about placing orders over the Internet, especially during these tough times. Most consumers are at least skeptical, and recent studies show this trend is only getting worse. Many consumers are borderline “paranoid delusional” when it comes to buying online!

However, there is a simple solution to this problem. And it’s actually a sales-boosting opportunity for those in the know.

What is this “little secret” you ask?

Simple. It’s one of those little trust-promoting “web seals” or logos you see on a small percentage of websites. Displaying the right seal can instill trust and confidence in a large percentage of online shoppers.
Frankly, I’m shocked at the number of otherwise experienced Internet marketers who continue to ignore this tactic completely. The consumer “trust factor” is an Internet sales killer that is not going away anytime soon. This “web fear” is rampant due to stories of credit card fraud and identity theft that are seemingly in the news every day.

To maximize YOUR online sales, you’ve got to do everything in your power to gain your visitors’ TRUST and confidence.

Not only should your sales copy “breathe” trust online, but by placing a recognizable “trust seal” on your website’s pages you are using a proven, powerful, strategy that turns a potential sales killer into a sales booster. Not only is this a tax-deductible business expense, but it can pay for itself many times over in increased revenues. Tests results have shown that consumers definitely attach importance to seeing certain trust logos displayed on a website. When a person feels they can trust your web business they are more likely to make a purchase, period. This is a simple, “no-brainer” strategy you should be using right now.

Take a few minutes and choose from the list of companies below. I’ve narrowed it down to my top five picks. Next, upload one or two of these trust promoting “web seals” or logos to your high-traffic web pages. Then watch for a small but measurable increase in sales conversions. This simple, powerful strategy is a golden “little secret” many online business owners forget to use as part of their overall marketing strategy. Big mistake.

The following are my top five picks for the most effective trust-promoting web seals that I believe can make a difference to your online — bottom line, effective immediately…

McAfee SECURE – Formerly known as Scan Alert or Hacker Safe. Now owned by McAfee SECURE and primarily aimed at calming a visitor’s fears regarding online identity theft and credit card fraud. Split tests have proven that small but measurable sales increases have occurred across the board for websites displaying this increasingly popular and recognizable logo. Joining McAfee SECURE is not cheap. There’s a monthly fee with a sliding scale depending on the size of your business, but this might be a good fit for you. And if it makes you money does it really end up costing you anything?
www.mcafeesecure.com/us

Better Business Bureau – Everyone knows the “BBB” and for this reason alone their “Online Reliability Program” is another great choice when it comes to choosing a trust-promoting logo. The BBB also has a sliding scale fee based on the size of your business. It can be expensive but this might be a solid fit for your web business. Again, if it increases sales then it’s worth the investment. The BBB has been around for many years so people definitely recognize the logo.
www.bbbonline.org

TRUSTe – Here’s another well-known and easily recognizable trust promoting logo. TRUSTe specializes in online privacy, privacy policies, and resolving privacy issues between merchants and consumers. Because TRUSTe is an established and recognizable brand this makes it an easy choice for my top five. And tests have also shown the TRUSTe logo can increase online sales conversions.
www.truste.org

VeriSign – Specializing in “SSL Certificates” (SSL stands for “Secure Sockets Layer”) The VeriSign logo is widely recognized all over the web. I’m not sure what the impact on conversion rates might be. It certainly won’t hurt sales. I mention VeriSign because they have been around for a long time and have a well-established online presence and brand.
www.verisign.com

HONESTe Online – Okay, I may be a little biased here because I am the President/Founder of HONESTe Online. Mike Filsaime’s company, PayDotCom, is an HONESTe Online member as well and it was one of the reasons why Mike asked me to write an article on the importance of trust seals for this newsletter. I recommend HONESTe Online for various reasons. There is no sliding scale for membership. Your company can display our highly-unique, consumer friendly, “web seal” on ALL your websites for one low monthly fee of around $ 30. No limit. If your company owns 100 websites you can display the HONESTe seal on all of them. I created HONESTe Online with the small to medium-sized business owner in mind. Membership also includes our monthly newsletter titled, “The Meat ‘n Potatoes eMarketing Report.” I personally write every issue. I focus primarily on Internet traffic and conversion strategies.
To learn more about the HONESTe Online web seal program you can visit us at: www.honesteonline.com/merchants

The Online Bottom Line on TRUST: Consumers are more suspicious than ever before and you MUST do everything in your power to gain the trust of each and every visitor. This is especially true during these tough economic times where folks are watching their wallets closely. Choose one of the companies above that suits your needs best and give your website(s) an instantly profitable trust makeover today.
Jimmy Sweeney is the President of HONESTe Online. Jimmy is a veteran Internet marketer specializing in digitally delivered information products.
To learn more visit: www.honesteonline.com/merchants

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By Jimmy Sweeney
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This article first appeared in the February 2009 issue of the MarketingDotCom newsletter. You can get a free copy of the latest issue for the price of shipping at http://the7figuresecrets.com

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