Trust is like … well many things. Think of it in the context of your friends. Try this question: “I only spend time with people who…..?”
“I respect? I like? Are passionate about shopping/football/etc? Are like me? Not like me?” I expect “who I trust?” must come in up for most people. So why would it be any different for any company/consumer – trust is there, but what does it mean?
If your friend says “I am fantastic” what do you think? Even if he/she is fantastic…. Would you trust them?
If another friend says someone else if fantastic – then it’s different. If you trust that friend, their belief carries to the someone else. Unless that someone else proves to not be fantastic. And then both friends become less trusted.
On the other hand if that someone else backs it up in their actions then you believe it. And you trust the first friend even more.
So to business. Companies stand up and shout “I’m fantastic”. It may or may not be true. If you try them once and they are, you may carry on. If you try their product or service and it’s less than they say – the trust is broken. It may still be excellent, but if isn’t what they promised then the trust is broken.
If companies don’t shout from the rooftops but their customers do, the same applies – when you try it, it’d better be as good as they say. Otherwise trust is broken and trust in their advocates is also broken.
This is why:
a) Advertising only works if something is good. Advertising something that isn’t as good as the promise, results in people finding that out faster. And telling their friends sooner.
b) Advocacy only works if its genuine. False friendship breaks is spotted very quickly and trust is broken.
c) Trust is about what happens when a customer does something. It isn’t marketing. Marketing has to check out what the business is capable of and make the advertising fit the truth.
d) Trust is every contact in every way – this is why customers value consistency very highly.
Trust is………”trust is like virginity – you can only lose it once!”
