Trust is a fragile thing and trusting start-ups is even more difficult. With the sheer number of start-ups that are coming up nowadays, consumers have a lot of options and can jump ship easily if they want to. When you go digital and add your business to a directory, you imagine more leads and revenue. But it is possible only if the customers find your business trustworthy. Thus, we have listed below some of the ways by which your start-up can earn the trust of your potential customers. 

1. Be Present at All Times

With the risk of this sounding like a relationship blog (it kind of is), the first step towards building trust is to make the customers believe that you will be present if things go wrong. The visibility of your brand relies on you being active on social media forums. This way you showcase the human feel behind your brand and can attract more followers. 

Also, when potential customers view your brand, they tend to look for the negative comments, the way you respond to them, and the time it takes for you to resolve the complaint. Thus, approach the negative reviews with caution and if possible, go out of your way to resolve the problems. 

For example, if there is a genuine complaint about a damaged product, then make sure you not only send the replacement, but add a complimentary gift as well. And also, do not forget to showcase this to your followers. Remember modesty is not the best policy here!

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Read Also: 8 Efficient Ways to Take Charge of Your Small Business' Online Reputation

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2. Consider Giveaways

This is a powerful way to gain more followers and also showcase the quality of your product. While the free giveaways might seem like a loss to your business, it is actually an investment that can bring you loyal and paying customers in the future. 

New start-ups can offer free products to customers. You don’t have to give free stuff to everyone; just select a few randomly but make it known that it is done randomly. Other than this, if your business involves products like e-books or online courses, you can offer limited period access for the subscribers. This is a risk-free way to let your potential customers know what to expect when doing business with you.

3. Do Not Underestimate the Power of Testimonials

You might be hesitant to ask for testimonials from your customers at the start but understand that testimonials can go a long way in taking your business forward. They can build a sense of trust about your business, making the purchase feel less of a gambling experience. 

Again, the humanizing factor comes into play here. No amount of advertising your product and explaining it’s awesome features can beat the 5-star review of your previous customer. A testimonial is an effective content marketing tool and helps with faster and stronger trust building.

4. Promise Modestly; Deliver King-Size

It might be tempting to gush about the quality and performance of your product along with how superior it is to similar products in the market. But keep this in check and let the performance of the product speak for itself. 

Create reasonable expectations about the service and make sure you fulfill it. Another thing you can do is over-deliver since people always love experiences that exceed their expectations. 

One example for this is the delivery time mentioned. Promise to deliver in 4 days but try to deliver in two. The extra two days can act as collateral if things go wrong. Alternatively, you can also provide surprise gifts with the purchase.

5. Personalize Your Brand

No one likes to talk with a bot when they have problems with a service. They would rather talk to a person who can assure them that the problem will be sorted. This is the basis of trust building and thus it is necessary to know when to be personal. 

When your customers know your story and feel that a person or a group of people are behind your brand, trust comes easier. When marketing your brand or creating content, make sure to showcase your personality or the one you have tied with your brand. But don’t get too personal when you answer reviews, especially negative reviews. Let your customers feel the intent and effort behind the brand. 

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