It is so easy to be disappointed by a brand’s inconsistent behavior. Their ads say one thing but your experience is the opposite. But I notice when someone cares about their brand. How closely are you paying attention? Trust, promises, and details matter.
Trust, promises, and details
Two grocery chains advertise that they want to be your neighborhood grocery, but only one trains their cashiers to find a way to make a non-compliant customer coupon work. When one disappoints me and the other finds a way to make the coupon work, a detail is missed, a promise isn’t kept and trust disappears.
The owner of two restaurants I frequent often make sure that they greet every single customer once they are settled at their table to say thank you for coming to eat at their establishment. They make me and everyone feels like they are part of a special club who knows the owner and they feel like they belong. It becomes easy to recommend the good food and the warm reception that everyone receives so these restaurants earn trust, keep their promise and pay attention to every little detail.
The mattress company that reaches out to me when I write a positive review of my experience is paying attention. They took the time to find me and ask permission to use my blog post for some internal purposes. By engaging with me, someone who creates a lot of content, they know that I might influence others. Their outreach is sincere, direct and without requirements. I feel I can trust them based on their behavior and am comfortable sharing my experience with friends.
Things I don’t like to hear from brands and the folks at the front line.
- We can’t do that
- We won’t do that
- We don’t do that
- It isn’t our policy
- I’m not allowed to do that for you
- Sorry, I can’t
- You’ll have to ask someone else
Marketing 101
Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Don’t expect me to share information about you when you treat me like I owe you something. Don’t miss the little details that make up a customer’s experience with your brand. A brand must earn the trust of a customer every time they engage with you.
Consumers notice every detail.
Your business may no longer be growing because you stopped paying attention, aren’t keeping your promises and you have lost the trust of your customers.
Trust matters. Trust me.
Could you use help rebuilding the trust of your brand? A marketing audit is painless and might help you diagnose the problems. Text me. 919 720 0995 or connect here.
Photo credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Edison_NJ_The_Coffee_House_hostess_serves_pastry.JPG
