When attracting new customers, you have to gain their trust. A smile and a sharp suit aren’t always enough – nowadays, most consumers want hard proof of your credibility. Here are just a few convincing ways in which you can build this type of trust.
Build a strong brand
Having a clear and consistent brand is important for telling customers your business is official. There are so many ways to build a brand. You should start by establishing a company logo and message. You can then start incorporating this into forms of marketing – this could include anything from uniforms to business cards to vehicle wrapping. Having an online presence is also important and you should set up a website and social media pages that also contain your logo and message.
Become a certified expert
Showing people that you’re an expert in your field can also build trust. Getting qualifications via education could be one way of doing this – an MA of computer science could show people you know what you’re talking about if you own a software development company. Extra licenses could also help in certain careers such as an electrical license if you own a handyman company.
Encourage positive customer feedback
Positive customer feedback can also help you gain trust. This is because it proves your ability to make customers happy. There are lots of ways to encourage positive customer feedback. One way is to ask every happy customer you’ve worked with to leave an online review. Alternatively, you can make them complete a feedback form – you can then ask for their permission to share this feedback. Some companies create feedback forms on their sites which can be used for customers to post testimonials – you can moderate each piece of feedback so that any negative feedback isn’t published. Online negative reviews on review sites generally can’t be removed, however, you can build enough positive reviews to outweigh these.
Become a member of a professional body
In some cases, you may be able to become a member of a professional body in order to gain a badge of trust. Chartered institutes exist in almost every trade – becoming a member could allow you to declare yourself a ‘chartered’ company, which could gain you credibility. In order to become a member of such an organization, you generally have to meet certain requirements. For example, in order to become a chartered accountant, you may need to practice as an accountant for three years first and then complete a series of exams.
Win an award
Winning an award is also a great way to build trust. This proves that you’ve competed against other companies and come up on top. There are many local business awards schemes out there that could be worth entering. You can then declare yourself an award-winning business.
Troy is a Freelance writer, editor, and author who lives, works, and plays in Boise, Idaho where he hikes, cycles, skis, and basically enjoys the outdoor lifestyle of the Northwest. Troy writes about business, sports, GIS, Education, and more. He is most passionate about writing suspense thrillers, and his work can be found at https://www.amazon.com/Troy-Lambert/e/B005LL1QEC/
