With a huge influx these days of people selling all sorts of products online such as contacts and pharmaceutical items, it can be hard to be the one that consumers trust the most. With so many choices, the power of choice and of trust is ultimately in the consumers hands more than ever. And this is especially true with any sort of medical business, because trust when it comes to your health is of paramount importance to people. Fortunately, there are a few sites online that show us how to specifically focus on having good credentials and proving trustworthiness.
The Importance of Medical Trust
People put a lot of faith in credentials these days. But the problem is that not everyone is conservative in where they put trust. Interpreted correctly, credentials can provide a lot confidence that someone knows what they’re doing. But there are side effects too. It’s gotten to the point where studies have been done that show that all it takes to make people trust you more is to wear a white lab coat.
The point is, credentials matter, and if people feel emotionally drawn to those who “seem trustworthy” because they wear the accruements of learning, then the effect is only that much more powerful when website has not only people wearing white coats, but people who actually have the advanced degrees to go along with the appearances as well.
Avoiding the Appearance of Shadiness
People on the Internet are incredibly wary of shady sites. Even if your site is the most reputable and trustworthy site on Earth with doctors that know what they’re doing and great products, this won’t actually help you until you build trust. The way you do this is, first, by being up front about who you are, where you come from, and what your credentials are. Basically, it’s important to solidly answer the question consumers will have: “Why should I trust you in the first place?” Ask yourself what about your site proves that you will be straightforward with consumers, and that your products will actually improve their health? One of the ways to prove it is by having good healthy guidelines on your site. It would be good if your site insists on medical standards even beyond what would be strictly profitable, for example.
Examples
LensesOnline is one example of a site that potential healthcare site builders would do well to study to learn how to build trust with customers. In general, you want your site to be completely in step with the laws of your particular area, much in the way Lenses Online is with New Zealand. They also recommend yearly check-ups right on the site, and they won’t except prescriptions that are older than 2 years. Any site that has a strict prescription rule like this will help show people a sense of trust.
