Deployed Works Guide
For providersShould You Get Verified?
Decide whether an optional identity check is useful for trust or Academy access.
Should You Get Verified? guide trailer
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Audience
For providers
Providers, independent providers, consultants, fractional leaders and specialist teams
Time
2 minute read
Outcome
Decide whether an optional identity check is useful for trust or Academy access.
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Related guides
Related trust pages
Guide summary
What this guide helps you do
Who it is for
Best fit readers
- A provider creating a Deployed Works capability profile.
The problem
The short answer: optional, useful, not required.
Provider profiles are free. Stripe Identity verification is optional, costs a one-off £1.25 charged at cost, and is handled securely by Stripe Identity.
Verification Clarity Card
Trust signal, not skill signal.
Use this card to separate what optional Stripe Identity verification means from what proof, references and case studies need to show.
Verification is
Useful trust context
- Optional
- One-off £1.25 at cost
- Handled by Stripe Identity
- A trust signal
- Useful context for buyers
Verification is not
Not proof of capability
- A skill badge
- A ranking boost claim
- A guarantee
- A replacement for proof
- Required to offer capability
Verification basics
Understand what verification does and does not mean.
What verification does
Stripe Identity verification confirms identity through Stripe Identity, adds a trust signal to the profile where the product supports it, helps buyers understand that an identity check has been completed and can support confidence in marketplace conversations.
What verification does not do
Verification does not prove skill, prove suitability, guarantee performance, guarantee buyer interest, replace proof, replace case studies or references, act as an automated ranking signal or gate access to offering capability.
Why Deployed Works uses Stripe Identity
Stripe Identity is used because it is a specialist identity verification provider and keeps identity checking separate from Deployed Works' own claims about skill, suitability or performance.
When verification is worth considering
Consider verification if you want to add a simple trust signal, expect buyers to review your profile before speaking with you, work in contexts where identity confidence matters, are building a profile for marketplace discovery or want to reduce avoidable buyer hesitation.
When you can wait
You can wait if you are still drafting your profile, have not yet added proof, want to join first and verify later, or are unsure whether you want the extra trust signal today.
Example
How verification fits with proof
Verification answers: “Is this identity checked? ” Proof answers: “Can this provider do the work?
Template
Verification decision checklist
Verification is: - Optional - One-off £1.25 at cost - Handled by Stripe Identity - A trust signal - Useful context for buyers Verification is not: - A skill badge - A ranking boost claim - A guarantee - A replacement for proof
Common mistakes
Avoid these traps
- Treating verification as proof of skill.
- Treating verification as proof of suitability.
- Assuming verification guarantees buyer conversations.
Checklist
Ready to publish when
- I understand verification is optional.
- I understand the £1.25 one-off cost.
- I understand Stripe Identity handles the check.
- I understand verification is a trust signal only.
FAQ
Questions this guide usually raises
Do I need verification?
Not to join, create a profile or offer capability. It is currently required before you can use AI Academy Coach.
What does it cost and prove?
The one-off cost is £1.25. It confirms an identity check was completed, not that you have the right skills or will deliver good work.
Take it with you
Share this guide with your team.
Download the PDF for meetings or offline use. The web guide has the latest version.
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Use the guide
Create your profile first.
You can offer capability for free. Add proof, describe what you can deploy and decide whether optional verification is useful for your profile.
