Relationship over Revenue: 3 Ways to Build Trust

Improving brand communication to build trust.

One of the unique aspects of owning a small business is the emphasis on relationships. Unlike big corporate companies, you get to interact with your customers on a daily basis. You probably don’t need me to tell you that the way to grow a business isn’t through meaningless, poor advertising but through the actual relationships you build. As trust builds, so does your reputation. As your reputation grows, more and more customers will refer your business. Word of mouth is the most powerful form of advertising and the most effective way to reach your audience!

Here are three ways to grow your business as you build relationships with customers.

1.Consistency

When it comes to building trust in a relationship, consistency is key. One aspect of maintaining consistency is how you talk about your business or brand. For example, if I describe Walmart as a ‘community hub where locals meet to buy groceries’ to someone one day and then as an ‘efficient way to get dinner on the table’ the next, I am not communicating a consistent message. Maybe both aspects are true, but until you have pinned down the specific customer and value my business is catering to, you will only be creating confusion. Instead, identify your goals, your ideal customer, and the language they use. Determine the consistent language and image you want to present, and then stick to the guidelines you’ve created.

2.Communication

How you communicate is just as important as what you’re communicating. Don’t feel pressured to communicate your brand message the same way as other big companies. Maybe you know your customers often check Facebook, so you focus on communicating there. Maybe they frequent local coffee shops, so you set up a flyer or host a pop-up. Think outside the box and get in the mind of your customer to figure out where they spend their time and focus any advertising or brand communication efforts there.

3.Clarity

None of these strategies matter without clarity. If you aren’t clear on the goals and identity of your brand, you’ll be floundering to communicate a valuable message to your customers. While you may need to make your message more concise, also consider that you want to be using the same language your customer uses to describe the problem that your business is solving. If you can show your customer that you understand them by describing your value and their problem in their language, you’ve hit on your brand and a strong relationship-building strategy.

Still struggling to create brand communication to build trust? I can help. Check out my services here!