If you’re an unknown entity, you need to build trust and credibility so people are more open to whatever ideas you push through your writing. Improving your credibility takes time but there are things that can speed it up to your convenience.

 

Here’s how you can improve your credibility through your writing.

 

#1 Do your homework

If you’re not yet an expert about a topic, research thoroughly about it. That’s how you establish your portfolio. When you demonstrate your knowledge and expertise on the subject, people will start looking for you when they need answers.

 

Word of mouth is a powerful weapon for improving your credibility. When your clients talk about your awesome work it makes a real impact.

 

#2 Back up your ideas

Since neither your or your audience is living in a void, any idea we share and any point we want to make must have proof backing it up. That’s how you gain trust — by pushing arguments using strong evidence. You can use studies, researches, or articles written by a reputable source.

 

“How many do I need?”

 

Three is a good number. It’s enough to support your arguments from multiple points of views and yet not too much that they overwhelm the readers.

 

#3 Be humble

You may consider yourself a knowledgeable or even expert in your field, but you know what? You’re not the only one.

 

Sometimes your audience may accidentally see you as someone pompous or downright rude. Yes, even when you don’t mean to.

 

Such examples often pop up in business writing. You write a harmless business proposal or email to a client explaining the ins and outs of the business as if the client knows nothing.

 

“So, what do I do?”

 

Read the proposal or email aloud to another person who you consider as an expert in the field.

 

“I have no one to give me a second opinion…”

 

Put your writings aside for an hour or more. If you write it at night, sleep it over. You can read it with a fresh pair of eyes and a new outlook in the morning.

 

#4 Watch out for mistakes

A big part of being looking credible is getting rid of signs of being not credible. When it comes to writing, that means checking your spelling and grammar. You cannot afford to be sloppy here. Forget about improving your credibility. Your clients will think you’re just an amateur if your writing is loaded with mistakes.

 

If you have to use tools to check for them, so be it. Feel free to use the online spelling checker to shot down any spelling or grammar error that you miss.