It's challenging to build confidence in new markets, unproven concepts, and unknown companies. Even for well-known and well-loved businesses, keeping that confidence isn't always a given.
The vision for what's possible with a new technology or product can quickly exceed the reality of what's actually achievable in the early phases of developing a firm. This well-worn hype cycle is ripe for a letdown. In a new profession, the task is frequently twofold: you must build confidence in both your brand and your industry. Consumers have also been noticed to be more empowered than ever before in ways they haven't been previously, thanks to the widespread use of social media, which gives everyone a public forum to express (and critique) their experiences with your business in real-time.
Brand trust encompasses more than simply faith in the quality of the brand's goods. It also includes the full consumer experience with the company, from purchasing to utilizing the goods. When customers create confidence and trust in a brand, there are three primary characteristics that are vital for them to consider. The first is to be open and honest with yourself. The second is to be inclusive and respectful, and the third is to care about and identify with consumers.
Even if the brand is new, these elements are critical. When it comes to establishing brand value, brands that develop these three characteristics more effectively will outperform their competitors. Consumers' faith in a brand reassures them that they are making a decent purchase and makes it easier for them to pick amongst brands.
It's simple enough to create a website and "start" a firm on the surface, which makes it difficult to separate apart from the crowd. But, in the near term, getting through the noise to reach early-adopter customers is only half the battle for marketers and communicators.
If your marketing outperforms the product, your brand will suffer in the long run, and retention will suffer. Provide your spokespersons with a truthful message so they can believe what they're saying. Your company's culture, strategy, or product must be communicated in a way that reflects reality.
Ensure that your consumers are getting the same brand messaging across all of your owned and earned channels, whether it's through content, tone of voice on social media, customer service channels, or media interviews. The same may be said for your company's internal communications. Employees are brand ambassadors, too, and shouldn't read the external message that contradicts how the company or a product is positioned internally.
Examine your spokespeople's backgrounds and subject-matter competence. While media skills and the ability to communicate a vital message are necessary, domain expertise is also essential. The correct person presenting the right message to the right audience is part of a communicator's job, and the level and breadth of expertise necessary may differ. If your spokesperson isn't technically savvy, but your audience is, portraying someone as an expert when they aren't might backfire and damage a brand's reputation.