How Does One Create a Trustworthy Business?

The era of commercialism and capitalism has made it more important for people to discern which products, providers, and services to believe. Advertising provides no help, as advertisers could also be guilty of exaggeration and hype if only to sell a product. History is filled with con men and unscrupulous business owners who would do anything to make a profit, so how would an ordinary person differentiate between a trustworthy service provider and someone selling snake oil?

Competence

Competency for any skill is something most people think they have, but very few people have true mastery of any area of study or expertise. You need to prove to your target audience and your partners that you know what you are doing and that your product or service has been the result of years of research and study. You can do this by providing samples of your product and going to events and product demos to explain how it functions and how it can help the ordinary person. Don’t be afraid to field questions from your audience as it is an opportunity to show your knowledge and competence. If you have social media accounts, you can outsource the management of your social media handles so they could answer these questions in real time.

Honesty

Companies should follow the values of transparency and honesty in all their dealings, whether it is with their customers or their employees. Being honest about the strengths and weaknesses of any business is the first step to improve the process and the product. Telling a story isn’t enough; it should be a factual story that would inspire not only other entrepreneurs but also your target audience. Corporate honesty shows that a company cares for its people and customers, and they are willing to accept changes to achieve the best results. Another way a company could be honest is to accept mistakes and responsibility when errors have been made. Of course, there might be repercussions when it comes to sales, but a timely response to any error that affects your customers will have a more positive effect in the long run.

Consistency

Any business needs to remain consistent, so customers know what kind of service or product they should expect. Whether it’s the quality of the product or the timeliness of the delivery, any consistent company is seen as a better provider and could attract more customers and charge higher rates. Consistency should also be seen in how your employees view their roles and complete their tasks. They have to remain on point with the message of your brand and follow the design and colors you have chosen to express that message and your core values. Finally, the way you communicate to your audience is vital in how they perceive a company’s trustworthiness. The language you use should suit your target audience and appeal to both reason and emotion. Create a balance between the two, so it won’t come off as emotional blackmail or lacking in empathy. Being trustworthy in business requires more than traditional advertising methods. It requires business acumen, expertise, honesty, and consistency that appeals to people’s reason and emotion, but at the same time presenting it in a respectful tone and language.