If you want your audience to trust the humans behind your business, you’ll need to properly portray who those humans are (who YOU are) through your brand.
You can do this by . . .
matching up what your audience SEES with what they READ and HEAR.
In essence, make sure your content and messaging form the same perception.
WHAT IS SEEN:
On a primal level, just like when a human meets another human, an immediate perception is formed of who the other person might be based on what is seen; a first impression is formed based solely off appearance. 👀
This is the first chance we have at helping another person determine whether or not they can trust us; from what they initially witness.
Let’s check out an example:
👆If your content and message tell the same story, viewers are able to quickly connect with what they’re witnessing.
Like in the ad on the left:
There isn’t enough ‘outdoors’ or coffee included in the photo for the message to appeal to its audience, and it would most likely leave them confused. It may even put into question how the business truly values the outdoors, leading to assumption and skepticism.
Content like the right ad catches a viewer’s attention immediately, accurately depicting the brand’s message and intention in both the chosen image and words. With no need for further clarity, people are more likely to directly connect with your business.
Showing up and appearing to your audience in the same way consistently provides them with the stability they need to trust that you’re reliable.
Does your brand appearance properly portray the humans behind your business?
WHAT IS HEARD AND READ:
After your business (or brand) is judged by what is seen, your audience will gather more information from your messaging to clarify whether their initial perception of you is accurate.
This is our second chance to build trust, through the words we share.
Even HOW a business tells its story or socializes with its audience can reveal a lot about its character and the ‘types of humans’ working on its behalf.
example #2:
vs.
👆 Both ads are just as effective, but each reflect a different ‘type of human.’
You may say the business represented in the first ad, We just really like plants, may be more carefree and even value nature a little differently. While the second ad portrays a “type of human” who appears more passionate about the benefits of nature.
Your brand persona will reflect who the humans are behind your business: their tone of voice, slang, humor, personality, integrity, values, morals and story. The easiest way to develop this aspect of your brand is to simply show up authentically.
Why does your brand messaging need to sound like you and your team?
Because as you work to maintain your brand persona across all touch points, it will be a whole lot easier if it already comes naturally to you.
From my nine years spent in creative marketing, I’ve found it’s easier to expand upon content that comes naturally to each person or group of people in order to keep a brand consistent in who they are and the story they’re telling to their audience.
Your audience needs authenticity. The more transparently they can get to know the humans behind your business, the more safe they’ll feel to start supporting what you’re doing and build trust.
Psychology Today explains, “Trust is a belief in a probability that a person will behave in certain ways. Trust is an abstract mental attitude toward a proposition that someone is dependable. Trust is a feeling of confidence and security that a person cares.”
In order to build trust with your audience, each piece of content shared should present the same brand persona and match any initial perception with the longstanding reality.
Your content and messaging should tell the same story, honor the same values and beliefs, and reveal the same personality to align what is seen with what is heard/read.