We live in an age of instant gratification. Along with that, people have reached a point where they make decisions very quickly – including decisions about your brand.
Whether the decision is fair nor not, people form opinions about your brand within seconds.
Does your brand inspire confidence? Does it carry credibility? It’s not just about appearance.
Fortunately, many trust issues – regarding your small business’ brand – can be fixed by making a few simple improvements.
Why does customer trust matter?
When someone buys from you the first time, they are not quite sure if they will be happy with their purchase or not. Even if you come highly recommended, the buyer still perceives a measure of risk.
The more trust you can build, though, the less that perceived risk becomes in the eye of your potential customer.
Your branding is – in many cases – the first “trust signal” your potential buyers come across. Getting it wrong can cost you a lot of money.
The 10 Warning signs that your brand is hurting your customers’ trust:
Sign #1: Your branding is inconsistent.
For instance, if you use different logos, colors, fonts or styles across your online presence (website, social media, printed promotional material and business correspondence), you will not only confuse some of your potential customers, but you will also lose some of them.
Why does it matter?
Because consistency signals reliability. Inconsistency quickly creates doubt.
Sign #2: Potential customers cannot immediately tell what you do.
Ask yourself this question: If someone lands on your website or social media profile, can they understand your business in ten seconds or fewer?
If not…
Your messaging may be too vague, or trying to appeal to everyone. The less specific your messaging is, the less likely it is to resonate with your ideal customer.
Sign #3: Your website looks outdated.
This is not so much about the design of your website as it is about how it was put together. Ten years ago, people were willing to tolerate some things – today they won’t.
For instance:
Does your website’s design look really old? (a number of years ago, used color-framed blocks and text in different colors. Today, that looks old, even if your site was well designed.
Does your website contain broken links, text that is too small to read, or low quality images? Any of these can create a perception of risk.
Does your website provide a poor mobile experience? Most of the traffic on the internet comes from mobile users, so if you present them with a website which is not mobile-friendly…
Do the math.
To your potential customers, and outdated website is an indication of outdated business practices, and a general lack of interest in what your customers need.
Sign #4: Your logo seems unprofessional, or it is overly complicated.
A logo doesn’t have to cost you a fortune.
However, your logo needs to be clear, memorable, appropriate, and easy to recognize.
Sign #5: Your business appears inconsistent.
Ask yourself the following questions:
Does your website match your signage, or do they seem to be from different businesses?
Do your emails have the same tone and use of language as what you post on social media?
Does your visual identity match the experience that your customers will actually receive? You can have a great customer experience, but if your brand doesn’t communicate that, few people will bother to test the experience.
Consistency makes it easier to trust you. Period.
Sign #6: Things associated with your brand are out of date.
Does your online presence have any of these?
Outdated staff photos
Outdated services
Expired promotions
Contact details that are no longer correct
Any of these can create the impression that your business is inactive or that your customers are not a priority.
Sign #7: Making big claims without any proof.
If you claim to be “the best in town”, of the “number one” choice, or offer “the highest quality” without any proof, people won’t buy it.
Any one can claim to be the best.
However, if you support your claims with reviews, testimonials, case studies or real life examples, it increases trust instead of eroding it.
Sign #8: Your reviews do not match what your brand promises.
For instance:
Do you have premium branding, but your customer reviews show poor customer service?
Do you promise friendly messaging, but reviews show complaints about communication?
What you promise in your branding sets expectations. If your customer experience doesn’t meet those expectations…
They will tell their friends. And Facebook. And Yelp.
On the other hand, if you deliver on the brand promise, it reinforces trust.
Sign #9: Your marketing comes across as generic.
Do you use any of the following?
Lots of stock photos.
Buzzwords everywhere.
Generic slogans.
Generic messaging that could belong to any business in your industry.
People choose to connect with businesses that come across as genuine and specific. Discussions on online communities often point out that generic messaging quickly weakens trust.
Sign #10: You don’t get inquiries, despite having good visibility.
If people are visiting your website, viewing your Google business profile, or following you o social media, but they don’t reach out to you…
The issue is probably a lack of trust.
Your simple brand trust checklist:
Is your branding consistent?
Can customers immediately understand what you do?
Does your website look current or timeless?
Is your logo clear and professional?
Are your colors and fonts consistent across all channels?
Does your marketing reflect the actual experience your customers receive?
Do you use real testimonials and reviews?
Are your contact details up to date, complete and correct?
Does your business come across as authentic?
Does your branding build buyer confidence?
In conclusion:
Branding doesn’t need to be perfect. You just need to get the basics right. Small, simple improvements can often significantly increase buyer trust.
Build trust by being consistent, being clear, and delivering on what you promise.