The word ‘trust’ is defined as the belief of someone being honest and reliable.
Trust isn’t just about believing the honesty of a person; it’s about believing the honesty of a company as well.
What are trust points?
Simply put, trust points are valuable pieces of information about your business. They help your consumers to understand the certainty of your company and the quality of the services you offer. They also provide your audience with knowledge regarding your reputation and the ethics of your business.
Why are they important?
Trust points are important for your business because they provide a way for you to gain your audiences’ confidence. Building a reliable connection with your consumers is also important, as well as standing out from your competitors.
Your consumers will most likely be looking for a reasonable amount of trust points surrounding your business before making the decision to approach you. They’ll especially be looking for a greater amount of trust points, the greater your service charge.
Statistics show that the internet usage of consumers rose to 96% in January 2021.
As businesses are continuously innovating digitally, online trust points are essential for gaining the faith of your prospects.
Here are a few significant online trust points to bear in mind when developing your online presence:
1. Your DNA
Your company’s DNA is defined by your vision, mission and values.
- Your vision describes why you do what you do.
- Your mission describes how you compete and what you’re best at.
- Your values describe the way you do what you do.
Why is your DNA important? It demonstrates transparency to your consumers. Rather than being viewed as ‘just another company’, you’re providing them with an insight into the character and personality behind your brand. This shouldn’t come across as misleading – you’re being honest about the persona you want to illustrate. Providing your audience with an exclusive internal viewpoint can develop ethical clarity, as you’re displaying that you have their best interest at heart.
2. Testimonials
Presenting testimonials on your website can demonstrate the voice of a real person.
A testimonial is usually a quote provided by a former client, expressing their positive experiences with your service. By clearly evidencing testimonials on your website, you’re providing your audience with proof of a trusted source. It also demonstrates your ability to build a positive relationship with your clients.
3. Reviews
A 2019 survey indicated that consumers trust their peers over brands.
Just like choosing a restaurant to eat at, the same goes for your business. Reliable review websites for consumers include Google Reviews, Trustpilot and Feefo.
Similar to testimonials, online reviews give your audience an insight into the quality of your services. However, the main difference is that these reviews are unbiased and open, and sometimes brutally honest. These authors have nothing to gain or lose from leaving these reviews – they just want to help others.
Internal reviews are also valuable, for example, Glassdoor and Indeed.
Differing from client or customer feedback, these reviews are voiced by your employees/ former employees. If a consumer is looking to pay you for your service, considering your internal communications is valuable to them as well.
Nowadays, it’s becoming more and more important for companies to earn their reputation via consumer word of mouth. With the rise of social media use and marketing, this is the most efficient way for your audience to advise on their personal experiences.
For more information on how you can develop your company’s trust points, book your free communications review here.
Alternatively, call 0121 212 6250 or fill out the form below to speak with a member of the Kinetic team.
