The Do's and Don'ts of Building Consumer Trust
Warren Buffet famously said, “It takes twenty years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.” Establishing trust between your brand and consumers is critical to retaining customers as well as attracting new ones. A good product isn’t enough—moms need to believe in your brand. Shape your brand’s marketing strategy with the following dos and don’ts to build genuine, lasting trust.
Don’t:
- Fake it. Analyst firm Gartner predicts that by 2014, 15% of “user-generated” content will be falsified. Posting fake reviews or likes is the wrong way to generate trust. If it’s revealed that you have violated the integrity of social content, your brand’s reputation will be forever tarnished.
- Cherry pick. Editing customer reviews or only posting the best will not fool consumers. An upset customer becomes even more upset if their feedback is edited or ignored. Instead of fearing complaints, look at criticism as an opportunity, not a PR crisis. Moms love getting personal responses from brands on social media which means your brand can turn an upset consumer into a lifelong, trusting customer.
- Forget to protect customer information. 41 percent of online adults do not trust most companies with their personal information online. Moms need to feel safe when they enter information on your website or else they won’t make a purchase. An overwhelming 95 percent of adults believe companies have a responsibility to protect their privacy online, so do not under-deliver.
Do:
- Be transparent. Moms want to know what is in the products they are buying and how they are made. If your product is made with quality ingredients or materials, make this clear in your marketing because 51% of moms question how safe things are for their children to eat, wear, and use. If your brand collects data from customers tell them how it will be used, such as to customize their experience on your website. This honest transparency creates brand trust.
- Find brand ambassadors. Moms recommend companies and brands via social media more than other women: 59% vs. 44%. These recommendations are powerful because 42% of moms have made a purchase as a result of a recommendation on a social networking site. When moms are praising your brand, don’t hesitate to share this content with your followers.
- Become a digital storyteller. Share faces and stories behind your company—customers are more likely to trust a person than a faceless brand. When customers find a personal connection to your brand, it becomes more likable and trustworthy. This is important because 44% of moms purchase more from brands that they like than those that they do not. Maintain a clear, consistent voice across all of your digital channels to create a distinctive and reliable presence.
- Utilize earned media. Word of mouth and online recommendations from family and friends—earned media—is trusted by 92% of consumers, more than any other form of advertising. According to a 2012 Nielsen study, the 2nd most trusted form of advertising is online consumer reviews at 70%, an increase of 15% since 2007. Make it easy for consumers to share your products or services with their friends online and actively collect and post customer reviews to embrace this trend.
Moms need to trust the brands from which they buy. When mom finds a brand she connects with, she has no hesitation in recommending it to her friends and becoming a repeat customer. Your brand can build consumer trust through your marketing strategy by utilizing brand ambassadors and earned media, becoming a digital storyteller, and being as transparent as possible. For more information on trusted brands and 14 other consumer trends, download our whitepaper 15 Consumer Trends That Impact Marketing to Moms.
Posted by Lauren Murphy