Building trust is such an important part of creating and cultivating strong customer relationships.
Entrepreneurs that want to build long-lasting customers and grow their customer base have to earn trust that goes past one or two interactions. As a startup, you have no history that people can look to for reviews, consistency and quality. It takes effort, transparency and (perhaps more than anything) time to build trust. And it is a key part of any startup, since you need stakeholders, investors and customers to trust something new you are trying to build and believe in your vision.
“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.” –Warren Buffett
The foundation comes down to integrity and openness, but that isn’t always easy for people to see if you aren’t focused on displaying it. You have to want to do what’s right, even when no one knows or is paying attention. And, you have to be open about what is going on with your company, products or direction so those connected to you can feel confident they won’t be caught off guard. There are strategies to building that trust in a way people can experience it for themselves.
6 Visible Ways to Build Trust as an Entrepreneur
As an entrepreneur, it’s hard to get far without building trust. Charisma will help you with that initial first impression, but it will only go so far. And, if you start to earn a bad reputation, then that perception can precede you and end your startup efforts.
1. Establish a Visible Presence
Searching for you online is a given in today’s professional climate. Make your online presence strong, consistent and engaged. Interact with any stakeholders online. Post things that help build yourself up as a professional and expert in the niche you are planning to fill.
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn—these are all important platforms to have a strong presence on as an entrepreneur. For your startup, make sure you have a clear, streamlined and catchy website that will provide additional information for those investors you are meeting, partnerships you are trying to build or customers you are working to convert.
If you are hard to find online, then it’s hard for people to feel confident about your track record.
2. Solidify Your Branding
Hire a branding agency to build up your brand and create a flawless presentation. Your brand is going to say a lot when it comes to first impressions and trust factor. They can help with managing your social if you are struggling to find the time. A branding agency will help tell your story and connect with your stakeholders and audience.
3. Respond Quickly
Don’t sit on communication. When you get an email, text or call—respond. Even bad news is better than late news. One surefire way to kill trust is if you are hard to get ahold of. Be responsive and easy to reach so people feel comfortable they can get ahold of you when needed. You can even have your office phone synced with your cell to provide a cohesive experience while you are on the go.
4. Be Transparent
Authentic brands are the ones that let people see beyond the pretty pictures, designer fonts and shiny product images. When things are great, let your audience participate. When things are bad, give them a little insight so they aren’t totally in the dark. You don’t want to be swinging high to low all of the time or sounding like you have a bunch of excuses, but as an entrepreneur, it’s okay to let them see you put in the work. Offer genuine advice along with reasons to laugh and celebrate with you. When things get tough, let them root you on by showing your can-do attitude and never-say-die approach to your startup.
5. Update Customers
One of the fastest ways to freak out your new customer base is to be shy with updates. Establish automated emails that let them know when they accomplish certain steps, like creating an account, making a purchase or submitting a customer support ticket. And then update them again so they know when products are set to arrive, when they ship out and how they can track delivery. Don’t spam your customers with too many promotional emails, but do “spam” them with information! You can send plenty of updates about their actions so they feel confident you are trustworthy as a new company. If you run into snags or delays, update as soon as possible and way before they have to reach out for information.
6. Create Trustworthy Partnerships
A bad partnership can make you look bad. Hire only the people you feel confident entrusting your company to. Choose vendors, partners and service companies that will uphold your drive for integrity and help you build up a name that people feel confident in.
We believe building trust is the great first step in a lasting business relationship. We hope you will allow us to be part of your journey. Be sure to browse around for more honest discussions on workplace communication on our blog.
