10 Ways to Earn and Build Customers Trust
Before customers make a purchase they need to be convinced that it is not a scam. It is easier for brick-and-mortar stores to get customers to trust them, unlike online vendors who find it difficult because the internet is a low trust environment. People see the internet as a place where con artist and defrauders can easily set up their stores and business, to rip people off their money. Because of this, it is not an easy task to get customers to trust your store.
At the same time, there is very tight competition in the market. Today's consumers can easily compare products and prices online and read reviews to see what actual customers think. To thrive in such a competitive environment, you have to build online trust for your brand with customers and maintain positive customer relations.
Some questions customers ask their selves are:
- Can this site be trusted?
- Is anything indicating I will get ripped off?
- Are my personal and credit card details safe?
- Will I get what I ordered?
Consequently, it's up to you to quickly earn their trust and curb any skepticism.
What is the importance of customer trust?
Many store owners don't realize the importance of customers' trust, sometimes it’s being overlooked and not considered a priority. It is sacrosanct to understand why trust matters.
The most common reason is that people only do business with those they like, know, and trust to deliver. If a consumer believes that a specific brand produces quality products or services, anything with their stamp of approval is likely to pass the basic trust test.
Here, we will discuss 10 (ten) tips on how you can gain and build customers trust:
- Always ask for reviews
- Share video testimonials
- Show your human side
- Professional web design and aesthetics
- Offer better services
- Make yourself available
- Maintain your confidence and be convincing
- Use content to build trust
- Don’t make promises you can’t keep
- Be honest and transparent
1. Always ask for reviews:
On average, a customer needs to read 10 reviews before they trust a company. So leverage the power of recommendations by displaying unedited reviews prominently on your website, sharing positive feedback across your social media channels, and responding to reviews quickly and professionally to build a healthy reservoir of trust.
When the reviews of the customers are displayed and you respond to them, it makes the clients feel heard and valued which is an excellent way of earning their trust. Giving value to the critique and suggestions of the clients will earn you their loyalty.
For example, you can gather honest feedback through emails and social media networks, customer interviews, or by setting up profiles on multiple review sites such as LinkedIn and Yelp.
2. Share video testimonials:
Consumers trust unbiased opinions more than corporate messaging, a testimonial video is a great way to clear skepticism and doubt a potential customer may have. Customers who are willing to go on record and wax lyrical about their experiences with your company are a much more compelling and engaging proposition than if you tried to convey the same message yourselves. Politely approach your customers to ask them for a testimonial. If they’ve been satisfied with your service they’ll more than likely be happy to tell other people about it. When customers see that you are concern about your delivery, they are more likely to trust and have confidence in you and increase site traffic.
Most importantly, your surveys should include an area in which customers can provide suggestions as to what you could be doing better. When you use feedback to make real changes, you not only show your customers that you value their input, but can also make the kind of adjustments that have a positive impact on your entire customer base.
3. Show your human side:
Another way to overcome customer's skepticism towards your business is to show the human side of it. During interactions with customers speak from the heart and like a real person instead of using scripts and formulaic responses. Also don't write in third person, write like you are speaking to the customer directly.
Tell personal stories and experiences. Telling your story is a crucial part of building a brand. It shapes how your audience views you and allows them to look beyond the products and understand where you’re coming from.
In your efforts to help your customers feel connected to your brand, it's useful to show them the people behind the products. That's where you can build empathy and rapport on a human scale. Regularly post your pictures and that of your team. Also doing a live Q/A session on your social media pages is a good idea, as your customers will get to know you better.
The best place to focus on you and not your business is the “About Us” page. You can tell your story and your brand’s story at the same time. It's smart to include any awards you've received, major accomplishments, and organizations of which you're a member. Adding some images of team members along with brief biographies can further develop trust by humanizing your brand.
4. Professional web design and aesthetics:
Your site design is what gives customers the first impression of your business, and the first impression matters a lot. Consumers feel that poorly organized sites are not trustworthy, so you want to make sure that your company website is professional, up to date, and well organized.
Things to consider are the site aesthetics, navigation layout, and content.
Some tips to help you with your website design are:
- Fix broken links
- Use quality pictures
- Make sure there is no spelling or grammatical error (you can use Grammarly to check for this error)
- Make use of enough white space
- Make sure navigation is seamless
- Optimize your site for mobile devices view
- Create (and follow) a style guide for your brand. Include things like colors, fonts, logo variations, the tone of voice, and brand personality.
It’s important to also include a privacy policy. A lot of consumers are worried about giving companies their personal information. Having a strong privacy policy on your website can be reassuring and help you earn their trust.
Learn more marketing tips here
5. Offer better services:
Excellent service is important because there is a lot of completion in the market and outstanding service will give you an edge over competitors.
Excellent customer service will make customers feel valued. When communicating with customers it's important to be polite, and do your best to solve their problems. The professional attitude of the customer service tells the clients that you care about them and it will earn the business their trust and respect which is essential for getting their trust.
Also, respond to their needs very quickly. For instance, if they run into a problem or issue, and then receive prompt, helpful, and memorable customer service, they'll always think of you as a reliable brand.
6. Make yourself available
Due to the dubious nature of the internet, customers will feel safer if they know how to contact you, and because people feel comforted knowing they can talk with someone at any time they choose. On your site include your: physical address, e-mail address, phone number, and social media channels.
Be reliably reachable. Providing customers with readily accessible, exemplary customer service will show them that you value their business well beyond their initial purchase. If customers know you care, they'll be more inclined to trust you.
7. Maintain your confidence and be convincing:
You need to be confident while having a conversation with a customer. The customer will feel safe when he or she feels that he or she is dealing with someone who knows about his or her work properly.
When trying to win a customer over try to sound convincing but not coercively. First, understand the customer pain point, and then explain how your product or service will solve it. Don't hide behind corporate-speak or legal jargon. Be authentic, transparent, and personable in all your communications.
The Reality of E-commerce in Africa
8. Use content to build trust:
Whether you run a blog, YouTube channel, host a podcast, or just publish quality content on your social media pages, it contributes to the trust equation with your prospects.
You can use social media to interact with your customers and keep them informed about the company as well. It is a fast and efficient way of getting the message across and getting reviews of the products or services that you are providing.
One of the strengths of building visibility via social media is the amount of flexibility you have there: You can spend your time syndicating onsite content, engaging with new and previous followers, responding to customers in distress, and promoting your brand at the same time.
9. Don’t make promises you can’t keep:
When you make a promise to a customer try as much as possible not to disappoint. Failing to fulfill your promise means you are unreliable and not trustworthy. Your marketing can't be misleading. Don't make promises in your sales copy that you can't or won't deliver on.
Any time a customer feels as though he or she has been deceived or manipulated, in any way, that customers will likely part ways with the brand responsible.
10. Be honest and transparent:
Honesty is the best policy. Honesty is very crucial if you want to maintain a customer’s trust and loyalty. People hate being lied to. Be sincere in your commitment to working for consumers' best interests, and prove it by keeping them in the loop and remaining as open and honest as possible. Don't try to cover up errors and mistakes on your path, own up to it, and fix it immediately.
Aim to be as clear as possible about what you have to offer, and establish accurate customer expectations from the start. Essentially, every customer should know exactly what to expect before signing a contract or placing an order. Since you can’t hide anything, the best policy is to ensure you have nothing to hide.
In conclusion, loyalty and trust are neither bought nor given on a platter, instead, it is earned. The only way you can earn it is through consistency. So endeavor to be consistent in order to achieve results.
