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In such a competitive climate, we have to do everything in our power to force our companies to stand out from the crowd. Whatever industry you’re in, you know how difficult it can be to push your brand to the forefront. And great company branding isn’t enough anymore – a cool slogan, a snazzy logo, and a sharp website aren’t sufficient to push a potential customer to choose you above your competitors. Sales aren’t about persuading, convincing, or winning – that’s how customers leave unsatisfied with the service they received – it’s got to be all about making your company accessible, and building client trust from the moment they lay eyes on you. Here’s how it’s done.
A faceless small company isn’t going to win anyone’s trust. In fact, we’re automatically predisposed to distrust something when it lacks human qualities. So winning a client’s business and their trust is all about humanizing your company. Put your face to it, and put your employee’s faces on it too. Show that you’re all proud of your business and proud to interact with potential clients. Consider how your company looks to outsiders – is it racially and LGBT-inclusive – if it’s not you could be inadvertently losing vast swathes of potential customers. Show curiosity towards the people who you engage with – you can tailor your company far more comprehensively when you know the kind of client-base you’re building up, and they’ll appreciate being considered too.
The online world, especially social media, blurs the lines between companies and individuals. When used effectively, it allows customers to interact with businesses on a human level, and therefore builds human loyalties to a company. A website which engages with customers on more than just an informative level is also helpful. Consistent branding, a regularly updated keyword optimized blog, and a choice of means of communication all help to build client trust. A web development and online business marketing company such as TopSpot SEM can help you to build a cohesive and inclusive online web presence to enable your company to engage with customers effectively.
When building trust with clients and forming relationships with potential customers, it’s important that you show your company to have integrity. Even when things go wrong, it’s imperative that you stick to your word when trying to sort it. As the old saying goes, if someone has a good experience, they’ll tell one person – if someone has a bad experience, they’ll tell ten. Your reputation relies on you treating every customer fairly and going above and beyond to fix problems. In the world of social media, one bad customer experience can create a dent in your reputation that could take months to rebuild.
Building client relations and customer trust is all about making your company accessible, personal, and reliable. Keeping to your word and maintaining open lines of communication are a great way to ensure that any issues are ironed out before the escalate, and demonstrating human relationships with your customers encourages their loyalty to your company.