Use the Five (5) C’s of Marketing Trust Building
A recent Reddit thread in r/manufacturing talked about challenges (and annoyances) when manufacturers work with customers. There were a spectrum of situations that ring true for any business. Customers:
- Don’t know what they want
- Expect it tomorrow
- Only share incomplete specifications
- Have ineffective communication (initial expectations, updates, satisfaction)
What causes this? It comes down to trust. Does the customer trust you? Does the customer trust your process?
Trust is earned. You must begin building trust before they’re buying from you. That’s where marketing comes into play.
5 C’s of Building Trust with Marketing
The concept of these five C’s come from Pastor Dave Willis and this relationship article. As much as we want everything to be tactics and strategies, trust comes down to building and maintaining relationships.
These five steps act as a framework for your marketing, too.
1) Connection
You’ve got to connect first. Whether you call it connecting or building brand awareness, before new customers will buy from you they’ll need to know you exist.
Connection content will focus on your:
- Expertise showcasing the depth of industrial knowledge (being helpful)
- Understanding of their challenges (not peddling solutions)
- Experience with customers “just like them”
You’ll utilize platforms like social media, online forums, and paid ads.
2) Caution
Your future customers begin seeing your content in their social feeds, ads appearing on YouTube before relevant videos, and even mentions in a favorite work podcast. Their hearing about you, but just don’t know if you’re the right fit or aren’t ready to buy.
Content you create to overcome the cautious stage is about experiences. Show how other companies “just like them” have had success. You’re proving yourself by sharing the experience of others.
Key content to create at this stage includes:
- Testimonial quotes or social proof
- Case studies or customer stories focused on a common challenge
- Useful resources like checklists or ‘how-to’ guides
Most importantly—don’t give them a hard sell. No product sheets or pitches at this stage. It is all about removing fear or uncertainty.
3) Consistency
Have you ever been part of a chamber or industry association? You remember that financial advisor that shows up to every single event. Same suit. Same conversation.
Why? Because they know that one day you’ll have a question. You’ll know right where to find them. They’ll be there.
Your marketing needs to march by the same drumbeat. Consistently landing in your future customer’s inbox, social feed, or podcast list is key. Does it have to be every day or every week? No. But whatever the interval you choose, it is a promise.
Some examples of marketing consistency:
- Monthly email newsletter with tips or specials drops at 7:30 am on the second Tuesday
- Social media posts from the brand hit Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays just before the end of the day
- New podcast episodes are every Thursday at 6:00 am—even when they’re at a trade show
Select a pace that is doable. Stick to it—no matter what!
4) Courage
It takes courage to reach out and connect. This stage of the trust process is when your prospective customer first makes contact. First contact can take many forms:
- Commenting or engaging on a social post
- Signing up for a webinar or downloading an e-book
- Requesting a demo
This courageous step demonstrates you’ve developed enough trust to take things to the next level.
Don’t go picking out rings or baby names just yet. Don’t violate this trust by dumping them into an automated drip campaign, blitzing them with calls, or showing up in their office without an appointment. Don’t be cringy.
Play it cool. Be helpful. Be a resource.
5) Commitment
Whether you’re booking a meeting or taking an order, the commitment stage of trust is the ultimate conversion. The future customer (or new customer) has begun to trust you.
This doesn’t let you off the hook. Maintaining the relationship is about striking the right balance of communication and service.
Your existing customers should expect:
- Your insights into industry-specific developments in marketing (see Connection)
- Shared success stories from other customers (see Caution)
- Regular updates on active projects or just a personal check-in (see Consistency)
- Recommendations on getting the inside track for new industry trends (see Courage)
Demonstrating your value in return for their commitment will show the level of commitment you have towards the business relationship.
How to Get Started with A Trust-Building Marketing Strategy
Before we talk about building trust with marketing we need to agree on how marketing works. Trust-building marketing will be positioning your business as a valuable resource and an “expert advisor.” When it comes time to buy, you’ll be more than a choice but THE choice.
This process will focus on sharing your expertise and experience via content. Content can take many forms: written blogs, explainer or informative videos, podcasts, and even infographics.
In the end, your business’ ability to develop trust with marketing will come down to:
- Knowing who your “ideal” customer is
- Committing to creating the needed content
- Following through with the strategic execution
- Willingness to adjust the strategy based on performance
Are you ready to transform your marketing strategy and build unwavering trust with your customers? Signalfire specializes in creating authentic content, delivering consistent messaging, and creating a trust-building marketing strategy that makes a difference in your business.