Street Cred: Establishing Your Brand as a Credible Voice

By Nyerr Parham

Credibility for brand voice is built in the same way we build trust in our real lives: becoming the friend who everyone depends on and seeks advice from in our social circles.

So, how do we do this? By simply doing what we say we are going to do, when we say we’re going to do it. We keep promises.  The same rule applies to brands seeking a credible brand voice.

Here are four tips to help you build your trustworthy reputation:

Be Clear, Direct, and Patient

Building credibility takes time since customers will want to make sure you’re reliable before being completely receptive to your advice, promises, and news. Also, initially, it’s important to make promises small enough that you know you can keep regardless of any external factors that may pop up. The last thing you want to do in the beginning is fail before you launch.

Be in Sync

Be sure that your brand promises match up with your brand experience. It’s difficult for people to believe you care about their tough financial situations, offering coupons or other discounts, when hidden fees surprise them when they walk in stores. Be up-to-date on all policy changes before speaking, or else you’ll end up with the proverbial foot in your mouth.

Be Valuable

If you’re in business, you have expertise to offer. So, why not show that off? You can do this by sharing research that’s relevant to your industry and offering advice and tips that your community will find valuable. Giving away useful information helps position you as a trusted resource that people will want to listen to.

Be Real

Talk is cheap. Prove your value through your actions by demonstrating your trustworthiness, not just talking about it. Focus on coming up with creative ways to show your on-time, as-promised delivery. Do that and you’ll garner the believers you are looking for in a target market.

Think about what you like most about your favorite businesses or products. Chances are they’re things that are related to excellent customer service, including on-time deliveries, prompt communication, and assistance as promised in your initial purchase. The rule-of-thumb to use in building strong relationships with your customers is clear. It’s always better to under-promise and over-deliver than to over-promise and under-deliver.

How are you positioning your brand as a credible voice? What would you add to the list?

Image Credit: Boris Lechaftois