Three ways to win trust with your audience

With a 24/7 news cycle and an always-on media eco-system, there is a thirst for and expectation of constant information in our daily lives. Whether it’s official government news, business updates, sports gossip or content from our favourite brands, we want to know instantly.

This has meant the demands on marketing teams to communicate with their audiences have never been greater. A creeping decline in people’s trust has also added to the challenge. Here I share some of my core principles when trying to build trust.

1. Don’t over claim

Edelman’s Trust Barometer Global Report 2022 shows businesses are now more trusted by people than either governments or the media to do what is right.

The report shows that governments and the media are seen as a divisive force in society, whereas companies and non-governmental organisations are seen as unifying. The findings also indicate societal leadership is becoming an ever-greater focus of business.

So whether you are a running a small SME or major construction firm, how do you ensure the way you communicate with your audience builds trust?

In a recent Fresh Thinking article, Adam Ogden discussed why companies should be careful when making claims about their sustainability credentials and gave some examples where organisations made statements they couldn’t prove.

It’s a reminder that companies should never make claims they cannot evidence. Although people are looking for organisations and businesses to be authoritative and take a leading role in societal issues, being authentic is the best way to build trust, even if this means showing vulnerabilities.

2. Be honest

Last month, my water bill was mistakenly taken from my account a day early by my provider, an issue which had affected many customers.

The first I knew of this was an email from the organisation explaining the reason for the error, apologising and notifying all affected customers that it was processing a £5 payment ‘to say sorry’.

Part of the email read: “If you’ve gone overdrawn as a result of your direct debit being processed a working day early, we will pay all associated bank charges.

“As this was our error, we have contacted all the banks and credit reference agencies to tell them so this should not impact your credit history if your account has gone overdrawn. Once again, please accept our sincere apologies.”

This swift communication to all affected customers, accepting responsibility, explaining the reasons behind the error and offering a small gesture of goodwill, is a prime example of how organisations can keep the trust of their audiences even amid serious operating errors.

Communicating in an open, honest way should be a non-negotiable part of any communications strategy.

3. Lack of communication is an own goal

A sporting example of how poor communication has eroded trust is that of an organisation close to my own heart, Everton Football Club.

A lack of on-field progress in recent years has led to a string of short-term managerial appointments. The latest managerial saga saw Rafa Benitez relieved of his duties and Frank Lampard appointed but the club’s communication with the public while between managers eroded an already fragile trust with fans.

Frequent updates emerged via the media and social media channels about different managerial candidates amid social media allegations these were being leaked from the club’s hierarchy.

There was little official communication from the club throughout the process and it became difficult to separate fact from rumour during this period which added to frustration among Everton supporters.

Whether the appointment turns out to be a successful one or not, the relationship between the club and fans has been damaged during the process.

When trust between any organisation and its audience is lost in this way, it is very difficult to regain.

Trusted takeaways

Here are my top tips on how to build and keep trust among your customers, employees and partners:

1. Be honest, not perfect

2. Do not make claims you cannot evidence

3. Communicate in an authentic, human way

4. Be open

If you would like to discuss a PR and marketing communications challenge, please contact our team.