Trust and credibility have been under attack throughout our society and this type of cynicism hurts every small business, regardless of their industry. What can you do to counter this trend and win back your customers’ trust especially if it was lost during the pandemic?
On the Small Business Radio Show this week, Margot Bloomstein, the author of “Trustworthy: How the Smartest Brands Beat Cynicism” discusses the key steps to win back the loyalty of your customers.
Interview with Author Margot Bloomstein
Margot says that with the democratizing of all publishing through the internet, a lot of what’s true and acceptable is decided by the users. She states that the best way to counter cynicism for small businesses is to focus on the needs of the audience; “empower them to make their own effective decisions by publishing high-quality information so they can self-educate. When you make your values visible on a wide variety of business and social issues, it also helps to educate your audience.”
Margot insists that more content is not always better. Instead, she suggests small businesses be more consistent with their message and the language that they use since this is comforting during a post-pandemic time; “this is also the hook for customers to grab onto your business and brand. People look for things they know and expect. Customers then feel they can depend on you and will reward you with their loyalty.”
In order to regain trust, Margot describes the first step is vulnerability; “admitting there is a problem is the first step to coming back from it. Be transparent on how your organization is changing so the problem does not happen again. Hiding behind false bravado does not serve any organization well. You need to bring your critics closer and ask for feedback to expand customer loyalty. Small businesses can use voice, volume, and vulnerability to bring people closer and drive brand engagement.”
Listen to the entire interview on the Small Business Radio Show.
Image: Margot Bloomstein
