Trust, both online and off, has to be mutual to be effective
Your customers must trust that you will provide the service or product they’re purchasing, and you must trust that they are who they say they are in today’s digital environment. This is because the shift to online commerce will remain even after the pandemic recedes. Two years ago, only 17.8% of sales were made from online purchases, according to Shopify. Since then, the adoption of e-commerce has only grown, with 14.3% of all retail sales last quarter, up 6.6% from last year. Consumers are increasingly doing business online, but businesses still need to know with whom they transact.
At the same time, consumers are ever more reluctant to divulge personal information to a business they don’t trust. Fraud and cyberattacks are increasingly common, so it tracks that those clients and customers want to make sure the companies they engage with are legitimate and trustworthy.
Communicate clearly & transparently
An organization’s online presence – whether web, mobile, or social media – says a lot about its values and care for its brand presence. By communicating your mission, why you got into the business and giving your company a “human element,” you are more likely to build a connection with your audience. Alternatively, broken links, confusing pricing, and hidden contact information can deter their intentions to work with or purchase from you. Good, consistent, and authentic communication is essential to winning confidence as it removes doubts, saves the client or customer time, and shows that you are serious about providing unrivaled experiences from start to finish.
Build social proof
Social proof, or word of mouth, is all about using your community and humanity at large to create positive connections around your company and brand. There are five types of social proof:
- Expert: Expert social proof is when an expert in your industry recommends your products or services or is associated with your brand. Examples: a Twitter shoutout by an expert or having an expert on your Twitter chat.
- Celebrity: Celebrity social proof is when a celebrity endorses your products. Examples: when a celebrity or influencer posts about your product.
- User: User social proof is when your current users recommend your products and services based on their experiences with your brand. Examples: praise on social media or positive ratings on review sites.
- The wisdom of the crowd: This type of social proof is when a large group of people is seen to be endorsing your brand. Examples include having thousands of customers or followers on your social media profiles.
- The wisdom of your friends: This type of social proof is when people see their friends approve of your product. Examples: seeing their friends use your product or follow you on social media.
Social proof is not just you telling clients or customers that they should trust you. It’s their community and people they also trust. Harnessing that can help bring you to the next level.
Get your business verified
Not knowing who you can trust online is a significant problem many businesses face. Supplier fraud is rampant, especially for small businesses. Almost 40% of business fraud starts from outside forces, such as vendors or suppliers. And when companies rely on Google searches and other online research to verify potential suppliers, the risk of fraud only increases.
As a result, having a business that’s highly visible online isn’t sufficient. Just because other companies can easily find you doesn’t mean they will feel comfortable working with you or purchasing your products. Verification is different and can be a powerful tool to help your business overcome these reservations.
On the Markaaz Dashboard, you can claim your business from our directory of over 100 million pre-verified companies. This shows anyone using Markaaz that you are your company’s legitimate owner and control of your data. On top of that, you can add key contacts, view your Business Credit Risk Score, and keep your information up to date.
The Bottom Line
Trust is key in any relationship – customer/seller isn’t any different. Building trust will not only bring new users to the door, but it will also create a bond that will have them returning time and time again to work with you.
Markaaz is here to support you in making your business the best it can be. Sign up today to claim your business and be verified by Markaaz, building another layer of trust for your business.
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