When we asked which source they trusted more for accurate and unbiased information, in the run-up to today's 2018 Midterm Election: 28 percent said they trusted news media (55 years and older were at 32 percent) 6 percent named social media (here, women were the low, at 4 percent) 6 percent said they trusted candidates (millennials were a surprising high, at 9 percent) 60 percent said they didn't trust any of these sources These findings, though nonscientific, still aligned with the lack of overall faith in the election overall. There are three pillars you need in order to build trust, according to Harvard Business School professor (and former Uber exec) Frances Frei, who, in a TED talk, said: "There's three things about trust. Not everyone can (or should) launch a podcast, but every brand can find ways to create value-driven content and work with trusted experts to boost the credibility of that content and, by extension, the brand itself. When your customers can see that you care about the same things that they do, you'll be able to build the community you want around your brand. Our survey found that more than 7 in 10 of those surveyed (71 percent) wanted to be able to vote on whether or not the government can regulate online personal data collection. Listen to your community with empathy. So, you've built your community around your brand and your customers can see that you’ve got their backs. Remember that your customers are offering feedback because they see themselves as part of your community; they want to be involved in shaping your brand. If you and your community can work together, use criticism from customers, and transform your brand for the better, then you'll strengthen your credibility as a brand, attract even more customers and turn your existing customers into evangelists. In an age where people are growing more cynical and suspicious of traditional news outlets and social media, there are still ways you can establish trust with your customers.
Show, don’t tell, how you’ve got your customers’ best interests at heart.
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For decades, young brands have relied on the news media to establish their credibility among customers. Getting featured in a newspaper, magazine or TV program meant that some of the trust readers and viewers had in those outlets would rub off onto you and your brand, building customer trust in your fledgling business.
But in an era when people have stopped trusting the media venues they once counted on for reliable information, how do you establish your brand?
Americans are losing trust in the media — our survey numbers.
In October 2018, my company conducted a Google Survey of 400 American adults ages 18 and up. When we asked which source they trusted more for accurate and unbiased information, in the run-up to today’s 2018 Midterm Election:
- 28 percent said they trusted news media (55 years and older were at 32 percent)
- 6 percent named social media (here, women were the low, at 4 percent)
- 6 percent said they trusted candidates (millennials were a surprising high, at 9 percent)
- 60 percent said they didn’t trust any of these sources
These findings, though nonscientific, still aligned with the lack of overall faith in the election overall. This was echoed by other findings in our study, such as one in which 63 percent of those surveyed expressed concern about the security of voting systems in today’s vote.
In conducting this survey, we also wondered which of the “two largest, most popular” media sources those surveys trusted more as a source of accurate and unbiased information for the 2018 midterm elections. And here, 76 percent in our study said they trusted the New York Times more than Facebook; and only 24 percent said they trusted Facebook more than the Times. (There was less than a 2 percent variance across all gender and age groups.)
Trust, of course, is crucial to attracting and retaining customers. But when a majority of customers no longer trust traditional or newer media channels as sources of information, what can businesses do to establish themselves as trustworthy?
How to win customer trust in an age of distrust.
There are three pillars you need in order to build trust, according to Harvard Business School professor (and former Uber exec) Frances Frei, who, in a TED talk, said:
“There’s three things about trust. If you sense that I am being authentic, you are much more likely to trust me. If you sense that I have real rigor in my logic, you are far more likely to trust me. And if you believe that my empathy is directed towards you, you are far more likely to trust me.”
Based on Frei’s tenets, here are three tips for entrepreneurs trying to succeed in an era when the public is growing increasingly suspicious of institutions and traditional forms of authority.
1. Be authentic and build your community around this authenticity.
First, be clear about what you as a brand value. Everything must stem from this. As Simon Sinek has famously said, “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.”
Identify what your team genuinely cares about and deliver meaningful, impactful content that reflects these values and benefits your customers. Our friends at Mozilla,…
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