Trust is that emotion that enables sales: people buy when they trust your expertise or the quality of your product.
To earn trust takes a lot of marketing efforts. That’s why quite often we stick with the companies we have bought from before, even if the service is a disaster.
And the opposite is correct as well: if you are a new company, it will be hard to sell your services, despite the fact that the quality of your service and your product is much higher than the companies that have been long on the market.
The reason is that our desire for gain is much less compared to the fear of loss. We are much more afraid to lose than we want to gain. This cognitive bias is called Ambiguity Aversion Bias – the preference for known risks (certainty) over unknown risks (uncertainty).
So how to infuse this trust feeling into your sales and marketing?
Reduce risks and ambiguity wherever possible on your website with following these tips:
– include links to more information, FAQs, a glossary, so that the information is clear and transparent.
– if you have a multi-page checkout, include a copy that ensures customers that they can review their information before finalizing their order.
For example, on Booking.com on each step of your booking the website ensures you that you will not be charged, that your card is used to secure your booking. And they include a detailed cancellation policy. On many other websites, you can always verify your order before the payment.
– share your expertise through your content (website articles, social media content, newsletters, podcasts). Here a lot of companies make one huge mistake: they are greedy out of fear of competition. But even if your competition has the same product, your company can differentiate by providing much better services and communication.
In your offline communication the best way to develop trust is to deliver on what you promise and to be consistent with this. While it sounds obvious, you would be surprised how often companies ignore this simple rule. Do this, and you will become top of mind for your customers and prospects.
