Trust in any relationship is earned over time and should never be taken for granted. One environment where it can be challenging to build trust with others is in the business world.
As a business professional, one goal of yours should be to figure out how you can build trust with your customers. This is going to help you mature into a reputable and stable company and will allow you to receive the recognition you deserve from those who matter the most, the consumer. Put the following ideas into action and it won’t be long before you find yourself growing your customer base and selling more products or services.
Communicate Your Expertise and Value
Customers choose to work with a business owner based on their knowledge, expertise and reputation. For example, you may want to brush up on your business and leadership skills by taking dba courses in your free time. Be sure to communicate your value and what you bring to the table to help build trust with your customers. Include these details in your “about us” page on your website so it’s common knowledge.
Having this designation and degree associated with your name and company will help you to win over more customers and make them feel comfortable working and spending their money with you. You’re the face of the business and the more accredited your skills, the easier it’s going to be to attract customers and the more confidence they’ll have in you that you’ll do a good job. Your credibility is what’s going to make you different from all the other competitors out there.
Be Readily Available
Another way to build trust with your customers is to be more readily available. This means offering multiple channels in which customers can get a hold of and contact you, including online and through social media. In fact, social media is one of the first channels consumers turn to in case they have any questions or issues.
You not only need to be available but then be prepared to respond to questions and inquiries in a quick and professional manner. The reality is that you don’t have a business without your customers, so it’s wise to get in the habit of treating them well and being there for them when they reach out. Disappearing and not replying in a reasonable timeframe will create animosity and distrust among your business and consumers.
Focus on Consistency
In addition, you can build trust with your customers by focusing on consistency and reliability across channels. It’s important that you deliver on your promise time and time again without error and unpredictability. The more times you go above and beyond to please your customers the more they’re going to reward you by spending their hard-earned money with your company. Your reputation depends on you being able to show consistency throughout your interactions with consumers. Set your expectations high for offering superior customer service but then also be able to meet and exceed them to help improve your reputation and build trust.
Engage with Your Target Audience
It’s not enough to launch a social media business page or account and then sit back and wait for followers to come to you. You ignite trust with your customers by working hard to build a following and relationships with those who are interested in doing business with you. A few ways to engage with your target audience include:
- Creating polls and surveys
- Running contests and giveaways
- Requesting user-generated content
- Asking questions
- Responding to comments
You build trust with your customers by posting frequently at the optimal times of the day and not disappearing for long stretches of time. Have a real dialogue or conversation with your customers instead of always coming at them with a sales pitch. Treat them as real people and show the human side of your company so they know you’re not solely viewing them as a number.
Collect Reviews and Testimonials
According to a Nielsen study, 92% of consumers believe suggestions and recommendations from friends and family more than they do advertising. Therefore, it’s in your best interest as a business owner to have the customers do the talking for you. Build trust with your customers by collecting reviews and testimonials from clients who feel satisfied after having done business with you. Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for feedback from past and present customers regularly. This way you can begin to collect and share positive comments you receive with those who are considering using your products or services. Your customers will be doing the talking for you and all you have to do is make sure you’re good about delivering on your promise and living up to all the hype.
Produce High-Quality Content
Most importantly, you can build trust with your customers by producing high-quality content that your target audience finds interesting and compelling. Use your website and blog as a way to show that you’re the experts in your industry. Keep the customer in mind when coming up with what content you want to share. Use it as a way to answer important questions, offer tips and tricks and show that you’re a trusted source in the field.
It takes time and skill to produce blog content that readers actually want to read and engage with, so don’t be afraid to outsource this task. Content writers exist to make your job and life easier because they’re able to clearly communicate your ideas to your target audience so you can focus on other company matters and initiatives.
Tell the Truth
If there’s one action you take to your business it should be to always tell the truth. Have integrity and your customers will trust you more. You’ll also be earning respect in the process and consumers will begin to gravitate toward your business. Be open and honest in your interactions and it won’t be long before you have a long list of satisfied clients who are willing to speak up and testify to your trustworthy business practices.