Do Prospects Know, Like, and Trust Your Brand?

If people know, like, and trust your content, they will want to do business with you.

It doesn’t take an ace marketing team to figure that one out. And yet, many brands fail at one of these crucial elements all too often.

You don’t have to put all your effort into all of them all the time. But if even you neglected one, it will show in your performance.

It is easy and simple to say all that, but what does it mean practically? Let’s take a closer look at these terms.

What Does It Mean to Know?
To know means a little more than just recognizing your brand and being aware of it. It’s about understanding what your business is about on a deeper level. To get to that level, you must actively and directly share information with prospects.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that you should write an essay on your About page. Nor does it mean that every interaction with prospects needs to underscore all aspects of your business.

Sometimes, what’s left unsaid tells an important story. Keeping things simple sends a message that your brand is focused and dedicated to results without the fluff. At the same time, if you’re just starting out, it’s a good idea to let people know of the brand’s details explicitly.

In 1983, Apple Computers published an 18-page brochure called Macintosh Introduction in Newsweek. They saw those 18 pages as necessary to get their concept across ahead of the Macintosh’s launch. Contrast that with Apple’s approach today. The more prospects know you, the less you’ll have to work at this step.

What Does It Mean to Like?
The first thing to make peace with is that not everyone is going to like you or your brand.

Some prospects just won’t like your approach to sales, or they just won’t like what you’re offering. That’s ok, as long as you know why that’s so.

Every marketing decision you make puts you in a category. For every person that likes how you engage with them, there’s bound to be one that doesn’t. Your job is to figure out why they like or dislike you.

Sometimes, you’ll find that getting some people to like you isn’t worth sacrificing your values. It’s fine to make that choice, as long as you know why you’re making it.

One of the things that most people don’t like is being sold to. It’s not a pleasant experience, especially if it’s glaringly obvious. To get people to really like your brand, infuse value into your content.
There are many ways to get your prospects to like you, but the key thing is that you have to give them something to like. Your brand should have some character, as it’s hard to like something that’s bland and uninspiring.

What Does It Mean to Trust?
This is the easiest one to get right, and yet many get it wrong.

Humans are trusting by nature. We believe most of the things we hear. Otherwise, it would be impossible to have a conversation.

All you have to do to get prospects to trust you is never fail on the promises you make. With most prospects you reach, you have a priori trust in good-faith engagement. Don’t compromise that trust and your job is done.

A great example of this is the Ritz-Carlton Hotel’s $2,000 employee empowerment allowance. Every employee is authorized to spend up to $2,000 to repair a patron’s negative experience. That creates deep trust. People trust that, no matter what, their experience will ultimately be satisfactory when they stay at the Ritz.

Knowing Leads to Liking and Eventually to Trusting
Whenever you make a decision ask yourself how it impacts your prospects' view of your brand.

Do as much as you need to raise awareness, even if it means publishing an 18-page brochure about your product. Figure out what your prospects like and what they don’t. Don’t assume beforehand. Finally, never, ever fail to deliver on promises.