Now more than ever, building a solid brand that consumers trust is crucial. Why? Because there are about 175 new websites launching every minute. In fact, over 200,000 new websites are created every day around the world. In light of those sobering statistics, your business brand needs to stand out and shine above a vast and ever-growing sea of competitors.
But what exactly is a brand? How do you market your personal brand? And more importantly, how do you get customers to trust, and believe in your brand enough to buy from you? Read further for answers to these and many more questions about building brand trust.
Before modern technology and online business swept the globe and overhauled the term “brand,” the word was first used in terms of marking cattle. Cows, horses, sheep, and pigs were literally branded with a hot iron that featured a unique design belonging to the owner of the animal stock. Thus, cattle ranchers and merchants could easily identify the owners of animal stock. Thereby streamlining the purchasing, trading, and managing cattle.
In today’s modern application, branding isn’t as physically brutalizing, but it still holds the same power of identification. To explain, a brand is a dynamic visual that allows people to easily identify your product or service. And yet, branding is so much more than that. A brand isn’t a slap-dash, pretty icon on display. A brand is a full-spectrum statement.
Ideally, a reputable brand should combine your mission, motto, commitment, and service or product offerings all in a clear, visual statement. Take the Nike brand. The iconic “swoosh” is recognizable all over the world. Nike’s name and logo are quintessential examples of a comprehensive, effective brand. In fact, their name and trademark logo are representative of the fleet-footed Greek goddess of victory. While their company “swoosh” symbol is simple, it encompasses everything the Nike Company stands for (or at least, everything they want their consumers to believe).
It’s pretty much what you assume it is. You achieve brand trust when your brand reflects your customer’s expectations about your brand’s service, product, and company mission. Trust in a brand means consumers are assured your business will meet and exceed the promises you’ve made to them.
That’s why you need to build a brand awareness campaign in a way that invokes trust with your audience. A brand is meant to persuade your audience that you are an authority, you care, and your business is worthy of consumers’ trust. When it comes to building trust and brand positioning, your brand’s objective is to evoke a sense of security within your customers that compels them to trust enough to buy from your company.
According to a 2021 trust barometer study, over 70% of online consumers are more likely to purchase from a trusted brand versus an unknown entity or merchant. That’s a staggering percentage of the consumer market that chooses how they spend their money based on their belief in a brand. That should tell you how powerful and essential branding can be for your industry. So read further for effective and proactive ways you can build brand trust.
Your tribe is your targeted audience – the people who are seeking your business out to solve their problems, or meet their needs. Reach out to these people because they are the life source and inspiration for your brand. The more you can compel your audience to share, give feedback, and get involved in your business community, the better you can build brand trust. Make it easy for people to communicate on your website. For example, install a WordPress free chat plugin to stay in touch with your site visitors. Or, create an online customer review section, or even establish a forum to create an authentic community built around your business brand.
Envisioning and creating a brand logo is only one step in the process of building your overall brand message. To explain, you’ve got to build your entire business on the brand and be consistent about it. From furnishings, website design, packaging to color schemes – all the details of your business must tie into your brand. The more consistent and thorough you are with visually expressing your brand, the better your customers will remember it in their minds.
Or, better said, let your brand tell your story. You can do this (and build brand trust) by thoughtfully crafting a compelling narrative around your brand that engages your target audience. Your customers want to know your story, who you are, and what your brand is all about. Factor in your heritage, culture, your values, and goals while enhancing your brand and building your brand’s trust.
These are just three of the top ways to build brand trust. But what is crucial to remember is the value of being authentic. Branding statistics indicate that 80% of consumers report that authenticity is the number one thing they look for in a business, and they expect from a brand before purchasing. So, it behooves your business to be transparent, tell your story genuinely and without boasting. The more grounded and relatable you are to your audience, the more they will trust you and your brand.
