3 Simple Ways to Naturally Build Trust With Digital Prospects and Customers

People are more likely to buy goods and services from a brand they genuinely trust.

And the more trust people have in you, the more likely they are to spread positive word of mouth, creating even more trust in other people.

But this kind of trust isn't something you can obtain overnight with a quick hack or shortcut. It's something you have to genuinely earn, and that's much easier said than done.

So how do you reliably earn consumer trust?

It's a long term game, and it isn't something you can build overnight. But with the right strategies, plus plenty of honesty and transparency, your brand can earn the trust and respect of your customers and prospects.

In a recent article from Entrepreneur, AudienceBloom founder Jayson Demers explores actionable steps that companies can take to improve consumer trust.

Here are some of his suggestions:

1. Improve your security.

First, make sure your customers feel safe when they shop with you. Even if you aren’t selling your products through an ecommerce platform, customers will still be visiting your website, and the amount of safety they feel while there can play a significant role in how much they trust your brand.

For example, if you spam them with advertising or maintain a checkout process that is clunky and hard to follow, customers may suspect that your platform is unsafe. So, beef up your security with basic SSL protection; use trusted payment options; and display your trust badges proudly — trust seals are the single greatest on-site factor that increases consumer trust.

2. Communicate more.

Don’t ever leave your customers in the dark. Though there is such a thing as over-communication, as a general rule, the more you talk to your customers, the better. This is especially true if you’re working with clients one-on-one, say, as a consultant or a marketer.

Be open and transparent about your goals and processes, and if something ever goes wrong, acknowledge the error proactively. If you’re caught withholding details or neglecting the communicative side of the relationship, any trust you may have built could fall apart.

3. Always be available.

Along those same lines, it’s vital that your brand always be available, in some way, for the people who need it. On landing pages, including a phone number or an instant chat box can instantly increase your conversion rate. Why? Because people feel comforted knowing they can talk with someone at any time they choose.

Make sure your customers have multiple lines of contact for you at all times — and if you have a dedicated account representative, give your clients that person's cell phone number in case of an emergency.