Street food can be great, but after that one really bad morning we all seem to live through in our early twenties, it’s all inherently a suspicious product.
That being said, most people trust fast food sold in a shop more than the same type of fast food sold from a van.
When you think about it, if a mobile food vendor causes food poisoning in a few people in one neighborhood or town, he can easily relocate and start over. The same is not true for the local food vendor with a shop, so they have more to lose if they are not careful – therefore, people usually see them as more trustworthy, all other things being equal.
For the same reason, investing more than a minimum necessary amount into your marketing (or website, or webcam, or art, or prestige items in general) might be advisable, if you want to inspire trust. I’m not saying you should lightly go into any big, irreversible decisions, just know that keeping your business lean and lightweight also has its tangible costs.
Clients are likely to see any “anchors” that lock you into doing what you are doing and where you are doing it as an “engagement ring” – proof that you intend to still be here in the future when they need you. And if you are wondering how that improves your bottom line, it’s simple – clients who trust you are more likely to accept a sizable “trust premium” added to your price. Does it work? Ask Coca Cola;)