What do trusted brands all have in common? They put their focus on doing, rather than telling and they are able to cement their presence in the marketplace. In today’s world, talk is cheap. But trust is invaluable! There is tremendous upside in having a trusted brand, but it doesn’t happen overnight or without specific strategies. Here are five tips to consider when working on building trust in your brand.

Bring value to your customer

Do you place your focus on your customers or the revenue that they bring you? When customers believe they are just a dollar sign in your eyes, long-term relationships aren’t built, repeat sales aren’t made and trust isn’t fostered. In order to make your customers feel valued, emphasize the idea of building relationships. Your sales will follow, trust us.

Provide a quality product

Talking a big game and providing a low-quality product is a surefire way of generating mistrust with your customers. If customers receive a product or service that doesn’t meet their expectations, you can draw negative reviews and lose credibility in the market. To ensure you’re delivering a quality product or service and fostering trust with your customers, put together a focus group. Ask your target audience what their needs are and if your product or service meets those needs.

Keep it real (and responsive)

We know things won’t always go as planned. Sometimes there will be flaws in the performance of your product or service. One of the most important elements of trust is how you react when it’s broken. Customers value transparency. If you fail to deliver on a promise you made, have the competence to correct the mistake and the integrity to do so even in tough situations. 34% of customers delete a negative review they make if the company handles the situation well after being made aware of it.

Maintain consistency

Trust is easily fostered when someone knows what to expect. That is why consistency is such an important element of building a trusted brand. Consistency in your brand reinforces your position in the marketplace, raises the perceived value of your product or service and makes for a higher retention rate. The elements of a consistent brand include:

• • Your message: Stay true to who you are, what you can deliver and the overall tone you use.
  • Your design: Create consistency among your website, social media and print.
  • Your delivery: Always communicate with your target audience.

Collect testimonials

People trust people. Testimonials show new and old customers that your brand consistently delivers value. For potential customers, testimonials show why current customers trust in your brand and why they should too. For returning customers, they emphasize why they should continue doing business with you. Happy customers are your best salespeople.

Summary

It may sound simple, but the trust of your customers is not easily won. Customers today have a high level of mistrust in brands and companies. Trust is a commodity that can’t be purchased. It is essential for growing and maintaining your customer base.
Are you ready to strategize how to build trust with your target market? Burkhart is too. Let’s chat.