Establishing trust with new customers is the main way to secure a sale. But sometimes people are defensive All startups should consider how to cultivate that relationship with their audience.
How to Create Trust with Customers
Here’s a case study to demonstrate the formation of this all-importance trust.
Kamran Mirshahi is the director of Canary Claims. Despite working in a competitive industry, Canary Claims is a leading PPI claims company that has helped thousands of people reclaim PPI.
Founded in 2005, Kamran wanted to create a transparent and fair claims company. Many individuals have negative — even resentful — feelings toward claims companies, due to endless cold calls and hidden fees. Kamran never cold calls and has always been transparent with prices.
In an industry where trust can be low, Kamran shares his insights about how to create trust with customers and explains why establishing a good relationship is vital for every startup.
Have a Clear and Transparent Website
Your website is crucial for generating leads for your business. Long gone are the days when individuals would look in the Yellow Pages to find a local service. The internet is filled with companies, and customers can get insightful information quickly and easily. Reviews that might have previously come from friends now come in the form of online reviews (more on that below).
Your website is often the first interaction you have with a customer, and, naturally, this is the first place you can begin to build trust. Making everything clear on your website is essential. Being transparent about pricing and the way your business works allows customers to get to know the brand. This can help to build a great relationship with your audience and potential customers. Use your website to tell customers about you and your company, and explain why you’re the best. Back it up with authoritative facts and glowing testimonials.
Respond to Negative Reviews
84% of people trust online reviews as much as their friend’s opinion. This means you need to read reviews, take on board the feedback and respond when necessary. If your business has a bad online review, it can have a huge impact on a new customer’s buying power and simultaneously deter potential users.
If you’re a startup, responding to these negative reviews is critical — particularly if you don’t have many overall reviews. By responding to customers, it demonstrates that you care and want to resolve any issues as soon as possible.
Offer a Fair and Clear Price to Customers
Competitive pricing can set you aside from the competition. But more than that, making your pricing model transparent helps to build trust with potential customers.
As a PPI claims company, offering a low fee has been essential for the success of our business. With many claims companies charging in excess of 30% on successful claims, positioning Canary Claims as charging a lower fee — without compromising the service clients receive — proved an excellent way to stand out and create trust. If you are charging a higher fee — tell people why. If you explain why your prices are higher, it shows that you’re honest with customers.
Excellent Product or Service
Why do customers continue to use Amazon time and time again? Because they trust that they can find what they are looking for at a good price. If a customer gets the product they want or the service they expect, they will know that they can trust your company and are more likely to return in the future.
Establishing trust with customers isn’t always easy. But creating a business that you would be happy to use as a customer is a great way to start.