Your reputation can make or break a sale.
June 4, 2007
I was on one of my favorite forums the other day (The Warrior Forum), when I happened to see an interesting looking link in the signature of a post. I clicked the link and looked at the site. It did, indeed, look interesting, but I didn't take any action because I wasn't sure if it was of real value or not.
So I closed the browser window that I'd opened the link in, and looked back at the post. That's when I realized whose signature it was: it was the signature of a top poster and supporter of the forum. "Oh!" I said, realizing whose site I had just been looking at, "it's their site." I immediately clicked back on the signature link and did a revisit of the site.
That's when the importance of a marketer's reputation struck me. Based on the merits of the site alone, I didn't trust it enough to take any action, but once I realized that the site belonged to a long-standing member and top poster of the forum, I changed my mind.
My experience helps to illustrate why it's so important that you develop a good reputation, whatever niche or circle you market to. My brief experience shows that having a good reputation can make or break a sale or action.
So when promoting your products and services, don't forget to take measures to establish yourself as a trusted authority. Be active in the popular forums of your niche, and write articles that will get spread around the web. Have a blog where you post regularly to help people see that you're always giving away information about your subject matter, and include your picture so that people can see you as a "real" person and learn to trust you.
Yes, in a world where the headlines are full of announcements of dishonest business practices and scandals, your reputation is very important.
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Jonathan Leger has been earning his living online full-time since the fall of 2004. He regularly posts advice about search engine optimization (his current passion), AdSense and Internet Marketing. 
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