Build trust in your brand in 3 easy steps

Let’s start with the obvious: Tell the truth to the consumer! Ah, but what is the truth? Good question and we’ll get to that in a minute. Truth is vital to consumer trust. People want to know the truth about your brand and they don’t want the truth to change. Consistency is key! People like what is familiar and people don’t like change. Yes, some change is good, but it should be predictable change.

Now back to the question “what is the truth?” Consistently living in your box is the truth. Are you confused yet? Good. Let’s talk about the box.

Step 1: Build a box around your brand

There are endless possibilities of things that can be done. You could produce and sell health food, processed meats, cars, construction, space flight, and so much more! Not to mention that most markets have a budget, mid-tier and premium level, so multiply all the things that can be done by 3!

Building the box is simply choosing what of all these things your brand will focus on.

If you draw a box that says that the focus of your brand is premium meats from American-grown beef, you’re not going to start selling toilet paper, trips to space or grade B meats. Even if you did, customers wouldn’t accept it. Think about it, if you’re going to space, are you going to catch a ride on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, or the Oscar Meyer sausage rocket? Obviously you’re going to catch a ride to space with SpaceX (though option two does sound fun and exciting). Likewise you’d choose Oscar Meyer sausage over a SpaceX sausage.

It’s not like your brand is forever confined by the box. Maybe your sausage company could branch out into complimenting markets such as the fancy cheese market or the cracker market; markets that are on the edge of the box. However, if you stray from the box, customers will be confused and won’t know what they should be expecting from your company.

Stay in the box! The box is the truth about your brand! If you have no box, your brand has no truth and no foundation to build consumer trust on. Stay true to the truth of your brand! Stay in the box! Incrementally growing your brand is something you can consider after you’ve been in the box for a while and have established your brand.

Step 2: Communicate your brand promise

Once you’ve decided on your box, put it in writing. If your box is “High-quality processed meats from cruelty free sources,” Your brand promise might be something like: “We believe that a clean conscience is key to truly enjoying delicious food! That’s why we promise to work closely with our farmers to make sure that each delicious bite of cracker, cheese or meat that you eat is cruelty free.” Let your customers know what you’re going to do and why.

Make sure to spend time on this. You’ll want to come up with something that you won’t have to change frequently. Make sure it is broad enough to allow some wiggle room, but not so broad that consumers don’t know what your company does.

When you are considering initiatives or product lines for the brand, consult the box and the brand promise. Be ready to say no to seemingly tempting opportunities that fall outside of the box.

Lastly, tell your customers about your brand promise. Put it on your website, include it in your ads. If you’re selling a physical good, include it on the product label. Let customers know what to expect from you.

Here’s a good brand promise from BMW: sheer driving pleasure. When they are developing their vehicles, they ask themselves, are we delivering on this promise?

Step 3: Do it Over and Over again

Deliver on your brand promise. Consistently produce results that fall within your brand box. Remind your consumers that you are keeping your promise and that you have stayed true to the brand. Keep doing it day after day, month after month, and year after year. There is no shortcut to consumer trust. There is no substitute for consistent behavior.

These three steps sound easy, but they aren’t. Good luck!!!

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