How to build trust with your customers

By Gareth Henry   |   Last Updated 2 December 2021

There is usually one reason why you may not be making any sales. Your potential customer has made a gut call that you’re a bit scammy. They can sense it in the way you market your product or service. You may not be doing this on purpose, but some of these mistakes can make you come across as dishonest.

Signs you are untrustworthy

  • You’re exaggerating
    Being the CEO of a basement may increase your confidence level, but you will be found out eventually, and it will cost you.
  • You sound too good to be true
    Making outrageous claims may grab someone’s attention, but they’ll soon learn that these claims can’t possibly be true.
  • You’re faking experience
    Customers can detect your uncertainty and lack of knowledge quickly. It only takes one simple and basic question to be caught out.
  • You’re unclear about what you’re selling
    If you don’t know what you’re selling, why would the customer want to buy from you? Be direct with your customers and do not confuse or overwhelm them.
  • You’re hiding the price
    If you can’t put your price out there, it’s too high for the market. Customers may suspect that you are price gouging. Construct an offer instead of being seen to avoid the issue.  You are running a business not a covert operation.
  • You’re not sincere
    Don’t pretend to care more than you do about every issue. Over caring is a sure sign of insincerity, on the other hand care as much as possible about the quality of service and product you provide that will always appear sincere.
  • You’re acting desperate
    Acting desperate or needy is a real turn off, and it doesn’t work with dating either!  Don’t try and sell over organic social media.  That’s what the retargeting ad is for.

These are all signs of being untrustworthy, and it’s a no-brainer sign if you’re getting poor sales despite plenty of interests and leads. It would help if you took an honest sit down and change your strategy in these areas where possible.

Saying that hiding the price, being overly sincere may not be a problem if you are targeting a certain persona, but as a best practice avoid if you can.

How to gain your customer’s trust and loyalty

People want to buy from those they like and can trust. So before you lose any more potential sales, look at what you can do to improve your messaging.

  • Be transparent about your business
    No one wants to transact with a business that is a black box. Be open and honest about what you do and how you do it, so customers feel good about doing business with you.
  • Back up your claims
    Even if they are true, ensure your outrageous claims are backed up with proof. Add in disclaimers and supporting documentation, so your customers know you haven’t pulled the claim out of thin air.
  • Demonstrate expertise to your target customer at any stage
    Show reviews and social proof, but don’t overwhelm them. It’s better to have a few reviews from genuine social media accounts or high-quality video reviews than 200 reviews, all saying five stars with no substance.
  • Have great customer service
    A great customer service experience demonstrates that you care about the customer and are happy to patiently guide them through any issues or questions they may have about your product or service.
  • Respond promptly
    If a customer contacts you with a question or issue, it’s in your best interest to respond and support them as quickly as possible. Don’t keep them waiting too long and be reliably reachable.

Is it good to be transparent?

Yes!

Being transparent about how your business operates is one of the best ways to appear more trustworthy. Let customers know who you are, what you do, and how you do it. Customers are much more likely to buy from you if they know who you are, that you’re honest, and have their best interests at heart.

It may seem obvious, but I have to say it, faking authority or expertise is a big no-no. This does not lead to transparency. If you’re not an expert, don’t try to act like one. This doesn’t mean you have to have the experience in all cases but that you must have expertise that far exceeds your average customer’s knowledge. Otherwise, you’re not providing actual value, just fake marketing.

Your average prospective customer has a finely tuned nose for an oncoming lousy experience. There is falsehood at every corner of the internet attempting to act normal. Be prepared for this scepticism and demonstrate your story and expertise with abandon; otherwise, you are simply white noise.

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