The world’s most trusted brands don’t stay that way by accident. If you want to build a trusted brand, it helps to first understand how companies like Apple and Amazon have risen to the top. As in personal relationships, faith in a business isn’t a fixed point that can be achieved then forgotten. We continue to earn it. Because trust ebbs and flows, the day-to-day decisions a business owner makes can help to build brand trust.
What Trusted Brands Have in Common
Most of us never consider why we believe in one brand more than another, but we often do, even when it’s unconscious. Customers likely have a wide range of options to choose from in your industry, so let’s review some elements of a trusted brand.
Transparency
Honesty is the most obvious factor that determines trust. If you’ve ever been lied to, you know how hard it is to regain a sense of certainty about that person. It’s the same with business. Customers respect transparency. Trusted brands are honest about their products or services, plans, and failures. Transparency is a way for brands to share their identity with the public.
Trusted brands listen
It’s helpful to engage customers in two-way communication. For example, Starbucks frequently retweets public reviews. Social media listening tools allow business owners to monitor brand feedback across multiple platforms, and improve customer service. Curious what consumers are saying about your brand on Twitter or Facebook? Social media listening can provide business owners with useable data.
Consistency
The most trusted brands understand that their words need to match their actions. When a brand’s image and values are consistent, consumers know what to expect. We’re more likely to prefer brands we recognize.
It’s no secret that brand trust and success go hand in hand. For help with branding or analyzing data from social listening tools, please contact us at D-Kode Technology.
