Understanding your customers’ why increases trust

Have you seen those DIRECTV commercials with Rob Lowe? Thanks to Comcast, you might not have the chance any more. Lowe plays various awkward versions of himself while pointing out why DIRECTV is better than cable. My favorites are “Scrawny Arms Rob Lowe,” “Super Creepy Rob Lowe” and “Far Less Attractive Rob Lowe.”
Turns out Comcast thought he was “Not Completely Truthful Rob Lowe.” The Better Business Bureau agreed that DIRECTV could not substantiate some of the ads’ claims and should discontinue the campaign.
At the same time, U.S. consumers ranked Comcast at the least trusted company in the 2015 Temkin Trust Ratings.
In those we trust
The trust ratings are based on data from an online survey of 10,000 U.S. consumers. Respondents were asked to evaluate how much they trust 293 organizations across 20 industries on a one (“do not trust at all”) to seven (“completely trust”) scale.
Supermarket chains earned the highest level of trust (H-E-B No. 1, Publix No. 4, Trader Joe’s No. 7). Some other top 20 companies include Amazon (No. 10), Lexus (No. 12), Apple (No. 14), Lowes and JetBlue (tied at No. 17).
Comcast comes in at 293, just ahead of Charter Communications, Coventry Health Care and Time Warner Cable.
TV service providers, wireless carriers and Internet service providers scored in the “poor” to “very poor” range.
I’m guessing the results aren’t surprising to you.
Why?
Exactly.
Generate trust by understanding the whys
The companies we trust understand the whys. Leaders of the trustworthy companies know why they are in business. Their purpose and values drive what they do and how they operate.
Equally important from a marketing perspective is understanding your customers’ why. Why do they buy from you? What problem are you solving? You need to continually learn from and about your customers so you can truly know what their why is.
Once you’ve answered the two why questions, craft your story. Here are four messaging truths to remember when doing so:

1. It’s about them, not you. Brand building is about conveying who you are, what you’re about, what you believe. It focuses on your big idea, your reason for being. It’s not a popularity contest.

2. Authenticity sells. Staying true to yourself or your company’s core beliefs builds your identity and instills trust. Others can relate to you, your company, your product or service.

3. Your customers aren’t stupid. People sense when a company’s messaging stretches the truth. Test your claims on someone you can trust. See if it passes as credible or whether they tell you it is B.S. Otherwise, you’re questioning the intelligence of the people you hope are smart enough to choose you over the competition.

4. Use the “Seinfeld” storytelling approach. “Seinfeld” showed us that “nothing” can actually be something. When we try to communicate our own message, why not focus on the real stuff that makes us unique?

Tell your story of how you can truthfully meet your customers’ needs. You’ll gain their trust and their business.

 
Dave Mastovich is the president and CEO of MASSolutions Inc., a Pittsburgh-based marketing firm. He is also the author of the book “Get Where You Want to Go: How to Achieve Personal and Professional Growth Through Marketing, Selling and Story Telling.”