Century Color Labs

For years, what Oprah Winfrey said was gold. Then along came Doctor Phil who would solve all your family’s  problems. Now, there’s Doctor Oz who knows all about medicine. We trust what these individuals on television say! We trust that if Oprah uses that facial moisturizer then it must be great! And if Doctor Phil can fix THAT family, he can definitely fix mine. Now, if Doctor Oz says “don’t drink apple juice” we don’t! Why? Who decided that their word is trustworthy?

This is not just how our society works, its how we all work. We see someone with answers that we like, someone we feel we can trust , a source that seems stable, and so we follow them. Its as simple as that…right? But what makes us view someone as being trustworthy?

   Whether you trust your business partner to be fair, trust your doctor to take care of you, or trust your friends to stand by you, trust is the benchmark for our decision making. We TRUST that we are making the right decision when we feel that the one who told us to make that decision knows what they are doing. But when that fails, we are not happy. Gaining trust back is something that takes a lot of time and effort. So how can we gain the trust of others?
 

               A little research turned up these tips for finding a trustworthy person:

1. Keep appointments and be on time.Particularly with business arrangements this is vital. No one wants their photographer to cancel on them or to show up late. It can give the impression that there may be a lack of respect for the other person’s time. Respect and Trust go hand in hand.
2. Keep promises. If you meet with your prospective client on Monday, saying that you will be contacting them the following day, calling on Friday is not acceptable. Help them to feel that when they need you to follow through, you will.
3. Be honest with your clients, and they will be honest with you. They will share their budget with you and then you can figure out together if you are able to offer something within that price range.
4. Be compassionate and interested in them. Let them tell their story. Show interest in your clients, not just in what they may buy. If they feel connected emotionally with you …it fosters trust.                  
5. Make sure your website conveys trustworthiness.  At Stanford University, they did a study that found several things that promote credibility and trustworthiness. The first is: make it easy to verify the accuracy of the information on your site. Offer supporting material and links for the information you present.
6. If you're running a business, show that there's a real organization behind your site.Give addresses, phone numbers, and contact information, affiliations such as the Better Business Bureau or the Chamber of Commerce.
7. Give your credentials and highlight your expertise. Do this in an "About" section of the site. Explain why people can trust you. Let people know who the real people are that run the site.
8. Make your website useful to visitors. Give information, tips, help and anything else they need to know should be easy to find on your site. Update your information frequently. Don't let things look stale and out of date.
9. Respond when you are contacted. Don't ignore people.

The people mentioned at the outset of this blog are all trusted by the general public because they have made a good name for themselves. You can do the same! Be the photographer whose words are golden and trustworthy.

Here is another resource for how to ensure a good online reputation

http://www.ehow.com/how_4582384_ensure-good-online-reputation.html