‘Only 8% of people trust what companies say about themselves’ – this recent shocking statistic is representative of the problems facing the majority of businesses. Companies may have become more efficient at advertising and targeting sales but they have become less trustworthy. This is a major problem which isn’t going away. Without trust, businesses cannot build long-lasting relationships with their customers and therefore cannot create brand loyalty. There are many reasons behind this shift but there are ways for companies to turn things around.

Advertising

There have been a lot of changes within advertising in recent years, many of which are to blame for the lack of trust between companies and clients. For example, many consumers are uncomfortable with their personal information being shared without prior consent. Another issue with advertising is how the actual products and services are described. Some businesses exaggerate the benefits of their products and therefore make it extremely difficult for the products to live up to the hype. This leads to a disappointed customer who is going to take their business elsewhere in the future.

The best way to engender trust within your customers is to be respectful and honest. This means advertising products truthfully, without exaggeration. Incorporating customer reviews into your product pages will also help in creating a well-rounded outlook of your products and services.

Sales

Profit and sales are vital to any business but they shouldn’t come before your customers. Many companies will endeavour to sell products and services to customers, whether the consumer needs them or not. This can be particularly unethical when it comes to vulnerable people such as the elderly.

There is a way to chase profit and still operate as a conscientious and thoughtful company. One of the best ways to achieve this is by finding your client base. Target the group of people who are already looking for your products and/or services and sell to them. As well as helping to build trust, this approach can also make much more sense financially compared to targeting everyone.

Customer Service

Customer service offers a direct relationship between businesses and their client base. This allows companies to showcase how they treat their customers and this will dictate future interactions. The best away to approach this issue is to listen to each and every customer and treat every correspondence with the same priority. Some customers will have complaints but businesses should remain calm and try their best to remedy the problem at hand.

Many companies now offer a wide range of customer service options, which is highly appreciated by consumers. This means offering traditional communication methods such as telephone, email and post, as well as more modern options which include instant chat, social media or even video chat. The easier you make it for the customer, the more likely they are to return to you in the future.

Identity

Branding can be powerful tool, not only for boosting sales but also for showcasing yourself as a reputable, customer-centric company. There are many ways to build a brand identity which focuses on both business and people. For example, many organisations work hard to combat their carbon footprint and encourage others to do the same. Some businesses are incredibly philanthropic and will complete pro-bono work alongside their paid services.

These are just some examples of the ways in which branding can effect trust. Any company can forge successful relationships with their consumers by projecting an honest image of quality, reliability and respect.

Unfortunately, although very few consumers trust organisations within the corporate world, this can change. Many newer businesses are going against the traditional business model and beginning their journey with mutual respect in mind as opposed to profit no matter what.

Modern advertising conjures up images of viral marketing, television campaigns and social media but where does this leave directory advertising? This traditional form of advertising has been popular for many years but the business world has changed dramatically in recent times. Although there is a lot of competition out there, directory advertising still has its place and can offer a wealth of benefits to small and large businesses alike.

Paper vs. Digital

Traditionally, directory advertising utilised a paper based system, e.g. yellow pages. Before the internet, these directories would have been one of the only ways for people to find specific types of businesses. With the advent of the internet, these directories have moved online. Online directories retain all of the advantages of their paper counterparts but benefit from the networking potential of the internet.

Branding

Branding is important for every company but creating a brand can be expensive and time consuming. Advertising within a directory can help businesses in their endeavour to build their brand. This can be achieved in a variety of different ways, through showcasing products and services to including an introductory paragraph on the business as a whole. This is especially successful in specialised or trade directories as consumers will begin to identify specific businesses with particular industries.

Search Engines

Businesses which advertise through a directory based website will often feature highly on search engine results. This is due to the fact that many directories often place high on search results and by creating a connection between your business and the directory, your rankings will increase as well. This is particularly beneficial for smaller businesses who may find it difficult to compete with larger companies who utilise SEO.

Targeted

One of the main advantages of advertising within directories is that you are going to reach your target audience without even trying. Many companies go above and beyond trying to target advertising to specific client bases but directory based advertising does it for you. This is especially true for trade directories which will only list companies who deal in a specific market. This approach is particularly efficient and is therefore ideal for businesses with less money to spend on marketing.

Feedback

Customer feedback can be an invaluable tool, not just for you but for other potential consumers as well. Many online directories allow customers to post reviews or comments on particular businesses and their products and services. This can be a form of advertising in itself and the best part is it’s completely free. Customer reviews help to personalise your products and can actually influence other customers into making a purchase.

Networking

As well as offering a database of businesses for customers, directories can also be utilised by other companies. Therefore they can help businesses to network with their contemporaries which could lead to new suppliers or even new contracts. In fact some businesses build their entire infrastructure around working with other companies, e.g. B2B. The internet has opened up communications throughout the globe and therefore networking has never been easier. Whilst many business owners flock to social media, many forget the benefits of directory networking.

It’s clear that there is still a place for directory advertising, especially for businesses who are looking to gain exposure. In some cases, advertising using this method can have advantages over traditional online advertising, social media and email marketing. Overall, directories offer a relatively, quick and easy method for boosting sales and showcasing your business to consumers.