Inspire Trust through Stories

Trust is in the Eye of the Beholder

Your brand’s story is what you tell people about your company and how you tell it to them. Essentially, your goal is to show your customers that you’re trustworthy through your story. Let’s look at some ways that you can enhance trust through your story.

Be Specific

If your story is specific, your brand will be more trustworthy.

A: I received 100 likes on Twitter yesterday.
B: Yesterday, at 4 p.m., I heard a ding on my phone. John, my colleague, shared my Twitter post about my company’s new location. Within 15 seconds, my phone was ringing so much that it almost fell off of the table. I received 100 likes for one post.

Which story sounds more believable? While they’re both true, only one of them sounds more trustworthy. It’s simple: you can inspire trust by presenting your story in the moment.

Get the Story Right

Your story should include the setting (i.e. the moment in time in which your story takes place); the characters (i.e. the people in your brand); the conflict (i.e. the point at which something changed); and the resolution (i.e. where your characters are now). If you can create an engaging story full of facts, a realistic scene, and sensory details, your customers will be more likely to remember your story and believe in your brand.

Inspiring Trust

You want your brand to sound similar across all platforms. If your brand’s voice is solid, your customers will begin to see it as its own entity. It’s sort of how people hear the word “Apple” and immediately think of the iPhone; or how people hear “John Deere,” and have a certain image of what their products are like.

Trust isn’t going to happen over night, but if you are careful about how you craft your message, and you’re consistent in your brand’s vision, then customers will begin to trust your brand and your products or services.