In the past, marketing relied heavily on connecting with a customer and then following them. Today's approach is a little different thanks to the internet. The online environment is less personal than the face-to-face meetings of yesteryear, but it has its own problems.
People already have a hard time trusting people they can't see. Therefore, an online space can be the worst possible place for a professional to try to gain consumer trust. However, getting online is not as complicated as it first seems. Here, 16 experts fromForbes Board of CoachesDiscuss several best practices to build trust with your online audience in a real way.
1. Provide an authentic experience
You must provide an experience that is authentic to you and the brand you represent. People want to invest their time in those who believe in the services they offer. Interaction is so important. People trust brands that interact with them online. This shows customers that they are being heard. It also gives you the opportunity to “build a brand” by listening to the needs of your customers. 🇧🇷Zitrone Shermikia,Mediation Solutions Group, LLC
2. Build your culture from within.
Authentically forge your culture from the inside out. When your employees identify with your company's values, their actions are more effective than any paid advertising campaign ever could be. And when your team starts talking about your mission on their own social media channels, you're on the right track. 🇧🇷Ruben Crawford,Empowertale Ltd
3. Encourage the vulnerability of thoughts and emotions
Authenticity and transparency are qualities customers look for when interacting with potential organizations in search of products or business opportunities. To show an organization's brand, leaders must encourage vulnerability of thought and emotion by showing their personality virtually. This can be done through forums, question-and-answer forums, or thought-leader exchanges via blogs or emails. 🇧🇷Reena Sharma,Agilis Executive Consulting
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4. Listen, be honest and respectful
Building trust online starts with listening, being honest, respectful, authentic, helpful, consistent, trustworthy, supportive, engaged, and well-meaning. As in the offline world, trust is built online by how we communicate, how we behave, and how we serve. 🇧🇷Natalie Doyle Oldfield,Success through Trust Inc.
5. Provide excellent customer service
Amazing customer service is one of the best ways to build trust online. At some point, we all need to interact with the business we're dealing with, and those who make the process simple and customer-centric will win. In the end we are all human. 🇧🇷Pedro Boolkah,the transition boy
6. Live your brand promise
Be trustworthy. From top management to the front line, be who you say you are. Live your brand promises every day, even when it's difficult. do the right things Whether it's online or offline, your customers are sure to tell you when you're trustworthy and when you're not. 🇧🇷christina rose,Christine Rose coaching and consulting
7. Interact on social media
Interact more with customers online. We often forget the “social” part of social media. Trust is built over time through small actions, and every online interaction is an opportunity to build (or break) trust. 🇧🇷Amy Links,Kompass Consulting, LLC
8. Tell stories, especially failures.
Tell stories, especially stories of failure or ones that relate to personal experiences your customers are likely to have gone through. If you've been through the pain you're feeling before, you're much more likely to gain their trust to help you find the solution since you've already found it. Whenever possible, use video to tell your story! 🇧🇷Jordan Carroll,The remote work coach
9. Show that you really understand your audience
Show that you really understand your audience, their challenges, hopes, fears and challenges. And then be upfront and honest about why this is important to you, why they are important to you, and what keeps you and your team in the game every day to make a difference for your audience, to help them achieve their dreams. This clarity, truth and focus will build trust. 🇧🇷gargantas kathryn,Essential³
10. Follow the KLT alignment method
We teach clients the Align KLT method. KLT stands for "know, like, trust". The first step is to be known for something. You must do the hard work of deciding why you exist and who you serve. From there, you can start attracting and differentiating your offering. It's not about being everywhere. When you target KLT correctly, you focus on channels that deliver ROI with the least amount of effort. 🇧🇷Cheryl powers,Strategic direction
11. Be transparent and available
Things that inspire trust offline also work online. First, be yourself: Most people can feel "wrong". Be transparent: Ironically, when you hide something, it becomes visible. Be honest and avoid complaints that you cannot support. Be available, accessible and affordable in forms other than online. Be an unconditional fan of your customers. I'm always more likely to trust someone who encourages me! 🇧🇷Jeff Klübeck,Get a Klu, Inc.
12. Create a sense of intimacy
It's about your relevance. Use the time to create a sense of intimacy by showing your credibility and understanding of their issues. Its value and deliverability invite at least one follow-up conversation. 🇧🇷Edyta Pacuk,MarchFifteen Consulting Inc.
13. Be consistent and keep going.
Be consistent, take responsibility and move forward! If you want to build trust online, you have to constantly “show up”. Stay active on social media, not randomly. If you have a clear view and/or position, don't appear distracted. If you receive negative feedback, take responsibility and acknowledge any problems or shortcomings. Commit to do better, then go ahead and improve. 🇧🇷Jennifer Wilson,Convergence Coaching, LLC
14. Speak your voice
Really let your voice shine; Don't hide behind an avatar of what you think people would like about you. be you customers want to know that they are speaking to someone with real emotions and a real voice. Our unique voice attracts people just like us. Think about why we go back to a certain place: because there we talk in a way that we like. 🇧🇷Jedi Diah Alex Koh,Coaching-Muda-Vidas
15. Help your customers feel safe
The key to building trust online is helping customers feel confident about their purchases. Conduct a survey or ask customers about any objections or concerns they have when shopping online. Take the time to communicate solutions to these concerns through clear product/service descriptions and images, testimonials, a generous returns policy, FAQs, and the ability to call or chat with questions. 🇧🇷vered kogan,Institute Momentum™
16. Provide regular contact opportunities
A credible online presence is key - it's your online storefront that everyone will visit. To build trust online, you need to provide regular touchpoints that align with your value as a business. For example, if you are a crisis consulting firm, you should have regular blogs, articles, forums, and thought leaders that highlight your crisis leadership skills. 🇧🇷Joe Frodsham,CMP