Building Trust and Credibility With Your Customers

Professionals know all too well how important it is to build trust and credibility with potential customers. Many would argue that these two factors are some of the most important elements in the sales process. After all, if a customer doesn’t trust you, they’re not likely to do business with you. And if they don’t see you as credible, they’re not likely to take your advice or recommendations.

Benefits of Earning and Maintaining Customer Trust

Investing in a strategy to earn and maintain your customers’ trust offers many advantages.

Long-Term Customer Relationships

Trust directly impacts customer retention and loyalty. When your buyers or clients trust your brand, they’re more likely to choose you over your competitors. In terms of marketing, it’s more cost-effective to keep the customers you already have vs. working to acquire new ones. This means the long-term relationships you build help protect your profitability.

Positive Brand Reputation

Brands with the best reputations earn them by cultivating trust and credibility with their customers. Over time, people come to know they can count on a business for high-quality goods, customer service and integrity. These customers may even be willing to pay higher prices because they understand the value of a trustworthy company. For organizations with a strong brand reputation, their customer base may also be more forgiving of mistakes since they’ve been given a reason to trust the company.

Improved Bottom Line

Building trust with clients contributes to a healthier bottom line beyond retention. When your customers trust you, they tend to be more excited by any new services and products you introduce. This willingness to buy more from your company can lead to increased revenue and stronger business growth. Additionally, customers who trust you will often spend more money on each purchase and refer you to their friends, family and other consumers through positive online reviews that influence buying decisions.

How to Establish Trust With a Customer

Whether you are a sales professional, a business owner or a customer service representative, understanding how to build customer trust and create loyalty is vital to success. Here are a few tips to help you get started:

1. Be Honest and Transparent

Potential customers do their research, and they’ll do business elsewhere if something seems amiss. Be upfront and honest about your product or service, prices and policies to show your customer or client base that you’re committed to transparency.

Be reliable and consistent. If you say you’re going to do something, do it. If you can’t do it, be honest about it and let your customer know what to expect — making a promise you can’t keep will likely damage your credibility.

2. Be the Expert in Your Field

One of the best ways to earn and keep your customer’s trust is by being an expert in your field. Customers expect salespeople and businesses to be knowledgeable about their products or services, so it’s important that your team can confidently answer questions and address concerns.

To position yourself as a credible business and an industry expert, stay up to date on industry news and trends. Read industry publications, attend trade shows and conferences, and take advantage of any other learning opportunities available.

Showcasing your expertise through content is another effective way to build your reputation as an industry authority. Your team can create product brochures — either hard copy or online — as well as assets like informative blog posts or email newsletters. The more you highlight and share your knowledge, the more potential customers start to see you as an expert they can trust.

3. Be Passionate About What You Do

When your team genuinely enjoys what they do, it shows in their attitude, body language and the way they interact with customers. This passion for your company’s offerings and industry helps build connections with your clients or buyers, driving even more engagement. Everyone at your company has the opportunity to showcase their enthusiasm, particularly during in-person client meetings or while talking to potential customers over the phone. Genuine excitement to come into work every day could even be criteria you use while hiring new employees. 

4. Compile Customer Testimonials and Online Reviews

There’s nothing more powerful than a satisfied customer offering praise. When other people vouch for your product or service, it goes a long way to build trust and credibility with new customers. This happens because of the authenticity of existing customers sharing their experiences.

Collect positive reviews from real customers and feature them on your website, Google Business Profile listing and anywhere else potential customers will see them. Remember to also encourage customers to leave reviews on popular sites like Google, Yelp and Angi™. The positive social proof you provide influences buying decisions — 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation.

5. Provide Exceptional Customer Service

To build trust and credibility, it’s important to have a strong customer support team. Attracting new customers is challenging, and retaining them in a competitive market can be even more so. A top-level service team delivering personalized interactions shows you value your customers and are committed to keeping them happy and engaged, even after the sale. If they feel like they can rely on you for help and support, they’re much more likely to do business with you again.

Answer Every Call, Every Time With AnswerHero™

One of the best ways to provide excellent customer experiences is to have someone always there to answer the phone around the clock.

At AnswerHero™, our call answering services are 100% bilingual and can include a variety of features like call routing, message taking and appointment scheduling, depending on your unique needs. We’ll work with you to create a custom solution designed to foster trust, credibility and a positive brand perception. Plus, there are no contracts — you can change your plan at any time as your requirements change.

Let our call agents act as an extension of your in-house team to give your customers the attention they deserve. Check out our pricing plans or contact us today!