Making money on the internet through online marketing is only possible by building trust with customers. Big brand stores that have a physical presence do not have the same challenges that the smaller business needs to manage. For example Amazon and Ebay both have extensive review processes and most likely have an employee whose sole job it is to manage the area of trust. As a smaller business owner, your challenge is to provide trust to your customers.

Here is a handful of methods of building trust with your customers:

Your website – this needs to be clean and professional looking. One of the key factors is to convey to your customers that you are trustworthy. Ensure that your site gives the right impression about you and your products.

Your email address – using a free Gmail or Hotmail account will not give the message that you are more than a fly-by-night character. Use the domain name of your website for improved online marketing results.

Testimonials – customers love proof that somebody else had a good experience when they did business with you and this can be provided in the form of customer testimonials on your site.

Case studies – this is another way that you can provide proof that you exceeded the expectation of a customer that you did business with. The prospect can put themselves into the position of the customer and imagine you helping them to achieve their goals through a case study. Well worth the effort.

About Us – a company profile is an opportunity to communicate the unique selling proposition (USP) of a business, in addition to highlighting the experience and expertise that qualifies you to be offering your products or service.

Contact Page – probably just as important as your about us page. The customer needs to know who they can turn to if they need assistance. They want to know who they are giving their credit card details to. Ideally provide your phone number, address, email addresses and a contact form.

Tell the Truth – nothing puts a customer off in online marketing more than leaving them feeling like they have been tricked. For example, if you state that a product is a particular price, but when they read the small print, it's actually ten times as much for them to outlay, they aren't going to like you so much.

Be a human – allow your individual style to shine through. You want your customers to be able to connect to you. Your sales writing should be showing benefits to them from their own point of view, and give them some glimpses into who you are and why they should do business with you.

The more your customers feel that they like you and can trust you, the more you will be rewarded in profits and business. This is especially a truism in online marketing. By applying the tips I have added here, you will be able to build trust for a satisfying outcome that will benefit both your customers and your business.