Today, gaining the trust of customers is an important step towards the development of a company. Of course, it will be easier for users to decide to buy goods and order services if they see that someone has already worked with your company and was happy with the deal. It inspires confidence and peace of mind, because other people have already checked the company and confirmed that everything here is fair without cheating.
There are various ways to demonstrate social proof:
- publish customer feedback;
- successful cases;
- show videos of people who have already bought your product and are using it;
- share opinion leaders' reviews;
- publications in the media;
- tell stories about cooperation with partners;
- post photos of customers with purchases or in places where services are provided.
There are many ways to build the trust of potential customers. In this article, we'll share 20 methods you can use to build relationships with potential customers and give them confidence in your company. These "trust points" are suitable for the sale of goods, the provision of services and educational products. Check out the list of 20 trust triggers, choose the ones that fit your niche, and put them into practice.
The concept of "trust points" in business
When you develop and launch your site, users will start visiting it. In the long term, they can become your clients. It depends on whether the site can interest them and answer the questions:
- How can your company help a person?
- Do you have the competence to meet the needs of the client?
The user will view the main page of the site, the main blocks and understand whether it is worth starting to work with you. Having received the first impression and looking at the basic information, a person begins a detailed acquaintance with your site. By using trust triggers at this stage, you can build confidence in your company.
In general, trust points are confirmation that your products/services are successfully used by customers, which indicates the quality and exclusivity of the product, as well as the reliability and expertise of the company. The choice of such triggers depends on the area of your activity, on the characteristics of the brand, and the relationship with the audience.
How to choose trust points
There are many trust points, but it is important for you to choose the right triggers for your business. They differ in the content of information, meaning, and form. A suitable point answers the following questions:
- What is the main task of the site?
- How is the product positioned?
- What problem does the site solve?
- Who is the target audience?
- What is your unique selling proposition?
- How are you different from your competitors?
- What are the pains and needs of the target audience?
- What are the customers guided by when choosing your products or services?
- What objections and doubts do clients have?
How to answer customer questions
Having received the above questions, they need to be worked out and answered. This allows you to understand the situation:
- what is necessary for the target audience and what to bring it to;
- a portrait of the client, what he wants and what he is looking for;
- what should be the product to interest the buyer;
- the mindset of the audience who will study your site;
- what is your difference from other companies;
- what is your advantage over competitors;
- what influences the client's choice to make a purchase;
- what objections of the audience need to be worked out;
- what needs to be done for the client to perform the targeted action.
Having clarified customer questions and analyzed the answers to them, it is important to match the needs of the audience with the capabilities of your product/service. Next, let's take a look at 20 trust points you can use in your business.
№1. Companies that use your products and services
If people demonstrate that they are using your products and services, then your brand will be trusted by potential buyers. Encourage your customers to share their opinion of your products with the public. Let them show they are using your products. For example, you’ll be ready to buy a product that is recommended by an expert you trust.
When other people talk about your product and recommend it, it confirms your company's high reputation. Buyer's status is directly associated with the quality of the purchased goods.
№2. Completed projects
Potential buyers want to partner only with reliable and successful brands. Websites are ordered from the best programmers, apartments are bought from reliable developers, and equipment repairs are entrusted only to competent service centers. You need to show your audience all of your successful projects.
If you have finished objects and cases, demonstrate them on your social networks, on the website. Your subscribers will want to see your finished work. This will give customers confidence in the competence of your company.
№3. Emotions
Work must be combined with emotions. In this case, the beautiful appearance of the product attracts the attention of potential buyers, and a well-designed salon, restaurant, agency or other establishment creates a comfortable atmosphere for customers.
If you want to sell products or services to people, sell emotion and aesthetic component. Shoot videos, photographs, emphasize the beauty of products, the benefits of services for a person. All this will help to impress a client and evoke emotions, under the influence of which many people spontaneously make purchases.
It is also important to show emotion and consideration when dealing with clients. When on social networks on work pages you interact with subscribers, respond to comments and questions, then people are happy to make contact. In this way, you will be able to build relationships with potential customers and unobtrusively dispose to purchase.
№4. Your customers` stories
When you tell your clients' success stories, this information confirms your expertise. First, people with problems come to you. You can start the story from this point. Then describe the process, how you chose the ways to solve the problems. Finally, tell how your product or service has helped people.
A wide audience is always interested in stories, and stories about your customers will be able to impress as many people as possible. In addition, they show in practice the advantages of your company and the use of products, which increases its value. This confirms that you are helping people with any problem.
№5. The platforms where your products are sold
You can sell products not only on your website and in social networks, but also through other online stores and marketplaces. If other sites sell your products, this confirms the quality of your products and ensures customer demand. This builds trust in the company through another brand.
№6. Expanding the boundaries of sales
Now you can significantly expand the geography of sales and distribution of your company's products. The more people from different cities and countries buy your products, the wider the audience you can reach. This will add value to your offer and generate interest from many potential buyers. This method will help increase demand for your brand's products and ensure popularity.
№7. Duration of work of your company
If you have been in the market for several years, then your business is competitive. Newbies usually have many problems: low prices attract, but customers are scared off by the youth of the brand; cheap goods might be of interest, but not in all cases the manufacturer is known to buyers; in some situations, the quality of the product or the experience of the company is questioned. However, the longer you have been in the market, the more customers and audience trust you have.
№8. The team of the company
The personality of the founder is always reflected in the company. He is responsible for product quality, business processes, service and audience relations. By showing his personality and communicating directly with customers, the manager, as it were, extends his hand to customers and communicates with them on an equal footing. It always helps to strengthen relationships and instill confidence.
The team also plays a significant role, because it is the subordinates who communicate with your customers and provide high-quality service. It is important for you to train your employees to communicate with people correctly, not only to make sales, but also to help solve problems, give positive emotions and work for results, showing concern for customers.
№9. Show that company employees are real people
You and your team need to get closer to your customers and show that you are real people. Today it is possible to do this with the help of social networks. Add links to your social networks and your colleagues' profiles. You can choose the most popular platforms for your target audience. Many clients will be interested to see your life, social activity and just understand who they are working with.
On the one hand, social media will help you interact better with your audience. On the other hand, you will show your personality, emotions, tell stories that will bring you closer to people.
№10. Quality assurance of goods and services
Providing guarantees always inspires confidence in future buyers. This is some kind of insurance and confirmation that the seller vouches for the quality of the products offered. This technique reassures customers and gives them the opportunity to solve problems if they arise while using your product. In this case, you will be able to conclude a greater number of successful deals.