Trust is a big deal. We know this is true in friendships and with our love interests, however it is equally true with our brand and our business. We often focus on creating a 
nice product to sell or doing great work for our customers or clients. This is good and absolutely necessary. Everyone wants good service and a product that will do what we need it to do. That is the basics if we have a business. What is monumentally important is if we are creating raving fans. Just like sports teams have loyal fans that will cheer them on and tell others about them, do we also have this with our brand. Do you create loyalty and trust among our clients and customers?
Why Trust?
The world is full of talented people. People who write or speak better than you. People who create that product better than you. People who can do whatever you do… better than you. So what make someone choose you over another business, service or organization. Sometimes its price or convenience, but often it comes back around to trust. People want to trust the people around them.
Building Trust
Thought Leadership
One way we are able to build trust is to demonstrate that you know your stuff. Do you know what you are talking about? Do you know your industry and the things that are important to your industry? If you know it, then its important to show that you know it. This is content marketing – becoming a thought leader in your industry or community. Are you consistently producing or promoting content? In order to build trust and expertise, share your knowledge with your audience by platforms such as: blogging, podcasts, videos, posting, etc. Content is still king and helps build trust with your audience.
Fix it Quick
How quickly you address issues and deal with problems will either build or diminish trust with your audience. We’ve seen it with various large brands in crisis (Subway, United Airlines, Samsung, etc.) How quickly do they address their public relations crisis? How quickly do you address conflicts or complaints within or about your company or organization? Have you ever completed a survey or client feedback form and provided negative feedback, yet no one called you to address it? Trust diminished. When you demonstrate that you are open to dealing with problems, it show your authenticity, which builds trust. Even if it is a problem that you created. Deal with it head on and watch your clients/customers trust in your brand rise.
Focused
Trust also comes when a client sees that you are focused. We have all heard the term: “Jack of all trades, master of none.” As a brand owner, your job is to always show yourself as a master. Being too spread out with your expertise, products or services dilutes your brand and ultimately the trust a client has for you. We have all had this sentiment when we walk into a business that says its an expert at one thing, and then you also see them promoting something in a completely different industry. For example, you walk into an Italian restaurant for a good plate of spaghetti and then you discover they are also selling Chinese food. It is unlikely they are doing both well. Master your trade and stay focused on what you are truly providing your clients.
These are just three simple ways to build trust. There are many other ways that you can build trust for your brand. The first step is realizing that trust matters in marketing and branding. It is the key to developing business and creating loyalty with your audience.
If you need any assistance with building trust with your key audience, feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] I will also offer a webinar on this topic in May. If you would like to join the webinar, please email me to be added to the invitation list.