If you’re in the business of selling, you know that it’s important to build trust with your audience. It is the key to success. Even if the product or service is life-changing and will help your target audience solve a crucial problem, you won’t be able to sell if you haven’t gained trust.
When you think about it, we are all consumers at one point and we gravitate toward brands and retailers that we are familiar with and trust. Here are 5 of the best ways to build trust with your audience so you can increase sales.
1. Start an Email List
Starting an email list is one of the best ways to connect with your audience on a deeper level. People who sign up are eager to hear more from you and learn more about your business.
You can send regular updates, tips, and resources, and personal stories to help gain trust and familiarity among your audience.
2. Open Up
People respond to authenticity which is why your branding should include this. Don’t be afraid to open up and share your story as it relates to your business.
When you share your obstacles and mistakes, it shows people that you’re not perfect and helps them be able to relate to you. No one will trust a person or business that comes off as perfect all the time or doesn’t seem transparent.
3. Show Results
Talk is nice, but to gain loyal followers and customers, you must show results. Perform some case studies and show real examples of how your products or services help people get results.
As someone who creates online courses, I learned early on that the main selling point is the results that people will get. People aren’t really buying the process, they’re buying into the end result so be clear about that.
4. Provide Testimonials
Testimonials and word-of-mouth referrals are still great ways to sell and gain trust. It’s one thing to say that your business is great, but if other people say that, it becomes more effective.
Reach out to past customers and clients to see if they can provide detailed testimonials to explain their thoughts and opinions about your service.
5. Mind Your Spelling and Grammar
One of the easiest ways to build trust with your audience is by avoiding grammary and spelling errors in your copy. This just makes your business seem much more professional and show that you care.
If you have typos in your blog posts, sales copy, emails, or on your website, it can make people question your credibility and refrain from trusting you.
The same goes when you’re reaching out to others with an email pitch. I get tons of email pitches each week and I automatically ignore the ones that misspell my name or refer to me as ‘Sir’.
If people would take an extra minute to visit my site and get familiar with my business, they’d see that I’m a woman and learn a little bit more about what I do. This would avoid these careless mistakes and open the door for a trusting relationship.
Build Trust with Your Audience
Being able to build trust with your audience does take time, but it can help increase sales later down the road. Put yourself in the position of your audience and potential customers.
Think of what they’d need in order to feel like they trust you enough to use one of your resources or services to solve a problem. Also, focus on overcoming common objections and providing plenty of examples and case studies through your marketing and overall messaging.
