Do Your Clients Trust Your Brand?
Trust Is A Critical Component In Building Your Brand
As a business owner, it's important that your customers and prospects trust you (and your expertise in your industry). It's key to building long-term relationships with clients, as well as referrals. Building trust does not happen overnight, though. It takes time and commitment.
To build trust and credibility over time, it's important to be consistent with your messaging and to provide ongoing value. Note, we said "value" and not "value added". An example of offering value can be a simple as newsletters like this one, that are sent to your customers and other people who subscribe. Our newsletter campaigns are designed to offer free marketing and business advice for small business owners, with no strings attached. Value, not value added.
Read on for a few more strategies you might consider to help build trust (over time) with your business or brand.
Be these four things, and you'll build trust ...
1. Be available.
Clients (and prospects too) want to know they can interact with you and ask questions, as needed. In the age of email, text messaging, and social media, people expect to not only be heard but replied to... quickly. It's impossible to be available 24/7 and still take care of yourself and your family, but it's important to have systems in place so when someone reaches out to you through phone, text, social, or email, they know when a reply can be expected, and that they will receive it.2. Be reliable.
Do what you say you are going to do and in the time-frame you said you'd do it. If something happens that inhibits your ability to meet that commitment, then be proactive with your communication. Most people understand that "life happens" ... but failing to communicate leads to nothing positive. Talking a big game then failing to deliver can draw negative reviews, lead to mistrust, and decrease your credibility in your industry.3. Be consistent.
Be consistent in everything you do, including your marketing message, your business image, and your marketing channel delivery. If you start a monthly newsletter, don't skip a month (or two or three). If you start working on building your social media presence and reach, don't go hard and heavy for three months and then disappear for weeks. Consistency is critical in building trust and establishing your reputation and expertise in your industry.4. Be real.
People like to do business with people. Be real in everything you do. This will make you easily approachable, more trustworthy than any competitor with a facade or lack of public persona. It will attract like-minded people as customers. In today's day and age, as a business owner, your personal online presence is part of your business brand, like it or not. If you don't have a personal public online presence, that is part of your brand too (not in a good way). Don't be afraid to put yourself out there and be real. This is a critical part of the trust equation. Think about a small business that you trust ... do you trust the name of the business, or do you trust the owner, your account manager, or another key person in that business?
Bonus Tips:
1. BE HONEST
Always be honest with your clients. Be open about both your strengths and weaknesses. Never say "yes" to something that isn't a good fit or a strength in your service portfolio. If you make a mistake, never make an excuse. Own up to it, apologize, and correct it. Honesty, whether it be about your expertise or your errors, is always the best policy, and it breeds trust.
2. BE TRANSPARENT
Don't be afraid to open the window into your world and let people see in. People like to do business with people that they know, like, and trust. Let customers and prospects get to know you and your team, your interests, your quirks, your office culture. Letting people get to know the "real" you instead of just your marketing message goes a long way to building trust.
People trust people ... let your customers and prospects get to know you, the real you. When they know and trust the real you, that's when the magic happens.
It's called loyalty.
The entire team at MSW Interactive Designs is here for you!
Have questions? Call our office at 573-552-8403 to speak to one of our experienced internet marketing team members.
WANT TO GET TO KNOW US & OUR COMPANY CULTURE?
LIKE OUR FACEBOOK PAGE ... We post real team happenings all the time (SEE BELOW!), as well as marketing tips and advice to help you grow your business and provide value to your customers and prospects.
Comments
Post a Comment