Credibility

"Credibility" is a term that refers to the believability and trustability of a person or of a piece of text. The key idea to remember about Credibility is that it is assigned by the audience. The audience weighs a number of factors when assigning credibility. Those factors include:

With this in mind, here are the factors that you can control/manipulate regarding your own credibility; first in writing:

• Make sure you are using the correct format/style.
• Use and properly cite credible research.
• Make certain that your documents have a professional appearance.
• Use audience analysis to discover what the reader is expecting and fulfill that expectation.

For the presentation or interview:

• Dress "professionally."
• Polish your verbal and non-verbal delivery skills.
• Make solid (yet non-threatening) eye contact.
• Cite credible research.
• Use audience analysis to know what the audience expects and fulfill that expectation.
• Remember that the audience starts making decisions regarding your credibility the instant you enter their awareness.

Never forget that it is always easier to destroy good credibility than it is to build or rebuild it.

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