Fact: people buy from people they trust. No trust, no sales. So, building your trustworthiness is crucial to building your enterprise.

Trustworthiness can include several factors from honesty to timeliness. But perhaps the MOST important aspect of trust is authority. Here are four proven - and no-cost - ways to build your influence so you can influence sales.

1. BECOME An Authority

Obvious, right? But not necessarily easy.

Here's a good primer that you can download for $0 from the authority on copywriting for blogs, Copyblogger. It's called "Authority Rules," and it gives you lots of practical tips on becoming an expert who is respected and trusted.

It involves creating a website and/or blog in a niche area of specialization and then growing your visibility and reputation as an expert in that niche. Doing so doesn't have to cost a penny if you use a free blog available from WordPress, Blogger or from many other companies.

Here's a list of 40 free blogging platforms from Mashable.com.

2. Speaking

Once you find your area of expertise and develop some useful information, you should extend your authority by public speaking. It's true that many people would rather be shot than speak in public. But if you can work your way through that fear, a world of opportunity is open to you.

There may be dozens of business organizations, civic groups and social clubs in your area that are eager for speakers. If your message is informative, useful or just entertaining, you could have lots of opportunity to establish your authority with a growing number of listeners.

3. Writing E-books

Authority and author come from the same root word. Today, it's as easy to become a published authority as typing up a white paper, opinion piece or short book and publishing it as an e-book.

If it's under 40 pages or so and not filled with large graphic files, it can be sent as a pdf to interested readers for nothing. If it's a larger file, it can be compressed with software like Stuffit for easier sending by email.

4. Self-Publish A Physical Book

Just a few years ago, you had only two options if you wanted to produce a real, tangible book. You could get an agent and perhaps eventually get a publisher interested in your manuscript. Or you could self-publish with what was known as a "vanity publisher."

The first method involves perhaps years of struggle - and very small chances of success. Only a tiny fraction of books submitted to agents and publishers are ever accepted.

The second method involves high cost, as you pay for the printing and must do most of the distribution yourself.

As with many other things, the Internet has changed all that for the better. Today, you can publish using printing on demand (POD.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Print_on_demand

Services such as lulu.com and Amazon's Booksurge allow you to store your book manuscript electronically. Then, when someone wants to buy a copy, it is printed to order. Only then do you pay. The cost per book usually runs about $5-$6.

Got any more no-cost marketing ideas? Share them with our readers here in the comments section!

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