Your Customers Won't Trust You Unless You Embrace These 5 Strategies Starting with a base of trustworthiness, truthfulness, and moral principles will attract people to your brand and encourage them to become dedicated, loyal customers for the long haul.
By Slava Bogdan Edited by Micah Zimmerman
Key Takeaways
- Without enduring trust from your user base, your company won't survive the intensely competitive environment of your niche, regardless of what it is.
- When you start with a foundation of reliability, honesty and integrity, people will be drawn to your brand and become invested in remaining loyal, long-term customers.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Customer trust is an indispensable asset for startup brands. When clients trust a company, they are more likely to make repeat purchases and become long-term patrons. 77% of consumers say they have stayed loyal to at least one brand for a decade or longer.
This loyalty is not just about repeat business; it also fosters a formidable defense against fierce competition in the market. Here are five ways to foster loyalty in your business.
1. Prioritize reliability
If success and longevity are your goals, there's no excuse for poor products. You should do thorough tests for the product's intended purpose and get unbiased feedback from focus groups in each of your target markets to learn how and why consumers use your product.
Before adapting a product to a new market or launching its promotion in a new country, my company, Flowwow, makes sure to go "on reconnaissance" and monitor competitors' actions to assess the prospects.
In 2022, we decided to enter the UAE market. The company focused on providing safe, reliable transactions and sleek digitalization, matching the latest trends among Emirati and MENA citizens. A direct result of this approach was a 200% increase in Valentine's Day gift orders and a 1000% increase in overall sales turnover worldwide.
2. Streamline honest reviews
More than 79% of shoppers rely on reviews as much as they do on personal recommendations. That's why working with feedback is essential for creating a positive experience people can trust. But let's be honest: If giving feedback is a hassle, most people will simply skip it. So, it is crucial to make the process quick and easy.
Use platforms like your website to share what existing customers say about your products, good and bad. Then, utilize the positive feedback to continue doing what works best and constructively leverage negative feedback to improve product aspects and services.
3. Connect on a cultural level
Connecting with consumers on a cultural level is paramount in today's global marketplace. Offering a website in a native language is merely the first step, and it's crucial to have your website content translated by a native speaker. To forge a genuine connection, your brand must resonate with your customers' values, interests and nostalgia. Here's where the power of cultural collaborations shines.
Software translations and localisations have repeatedly proven insufficient to penetrate local markets, as they often leave a brand message feeling sterile and impersonal. Customers want to feel seen, heard, and valued. Flowwow keeps a list of local holidays and events and prioritizes reading local media, building relationships with residents and spending time immersed in the culture of every market.
A prime example of a brand excelling in cultural collaborations is Adidas. Their recent partnership with the "Goodbye Old Jumeirah" community in the UAE exemplifies this strategy. This collaboration resulted in a limited-edition sneaker collection dedicated to Dubai. But the beauty lies not just in the unique product but in the social message it conveys – preserving the cultural heritage of the Emirates, all through very niche local partners that meet the brand values. This aligns perfectly with Adidas' broader brand strategy, which prioritizes authenticity and empathy.
Be a brand people can relate to and feel a part of. Consistent cultural awareness and a willingness to learn are essential for any brand aiming to connect with customers on a deeper level. This approach fosters authentic relationships and, ultimately, creates loyal brand advocates.
Related: 8 Effective Ways to Connect With Your Customer
4. Build ambassador relationships with influencers
Partnering with well-known influencers gives you a "trust boost" advantage. Finding influencers that already resonate with your audience means you can showcase your brand in a deep, meaningful way.
Airbnb, the hospitality giant, understands the power of fostering long-term relationships with key influencers. In a fast-paced industry like short-term rentals, staying informed about trends and best practices is crucial. Airbnb doesn't rely solely on its own research – it leverages the expertise of established influencers with their loyal followers, consistently delivering valuable content on platforms like TikTok and YouTube.
This strategy benefits Airbnb in two key ways. First, by consistently appearing in trusted influencer content, Airbnb gains a "trust boost." Potential hosts are more likely to consider Airbnb if they see positive recommendations from established figures they already follow. Second, long-term partnerships help Airbnb bypass the ever-changing algorithms of social media platforms. By consistently showing up in the influencer's content over an extended period, their endorsement feels more genuine, and trust is built more easily.
Related: Take This Radical Approach to Customer Retention to Boost Employee Morale — And Your Profit
5. Offer compassionate customer service
Exceptional customer service exemplifies compassion, a dedication to customer needs, and a deep sense of accountability. It's a reflection of your company's genuine care, manifested through a patient and dependable approach to resolving any challenges users encounter with your product or service.
Netflix's success hinges not just on its exceptional content library but also on its commitment to customer satisfaction. Their approach to customer service goes beyond simply resolving issues; it focuses on creating moments of "joy" for subscribers, ensuring positive interactions. One example of this philosophy is Netflix's proactive response to service interruptions. If a user experiences a technical issue, Netflix may send them a notification offering credit on their bill, even if the user hasn't contacted them. This proactive approach demonstrates empathy and a desire to maintain positive customer relationships, prioritizing customer happiness.
We place a great emphasis on the way we talk to our customers. Our support team consistently delivers response times under 30 minutes, ensuring swift resolution to customer inquiries. Furthermore, we empower our staff to offer thoughtful solutions, including discounts, when platform errors arise.
Real human interaction is paramount, prioritizing agents over chatbots to provide empathetic understanding and personalized assistance to every user who reaches out. Because of our holistic approach to customer service, we have a stellar track record of 97% customer satisfaction.
