In today’s world of misinformation, deepfake videos, and normalized lying in politics, people distrust everything they consume. When it comes to marketing, they’ve always viewed it as hyperbole. It’s more important than ever to counter this negativity with authenticity.

When your brand promise and culture align, your company stands out as a beacon for prospects who are ready to believe in you. Here are some ways to build trust through your marketing efforts:

• Craft authentic messaging around promises your company can fulfill.
• Leverage third-party testimonials from past customers, both in written and video form, to validate credibility.
• Create case studies that detail how your company solved a client’s problem.
• Showcase client logos on your website to prove the size and scope of clients served.
• Demonstrate social responsibility by showing how a portion of corporate earnings goes to worthy causes.
• Encourage team involvement in those causes to reinforce authenticity.
• Build long-term customer loyalty with superior service and a structured rewards or retention program.

All these factors help speak to “brand authenticity,” which means your messaging aligns with its mission and beliefs.

Turning prospects into believers takes time. It’s essential that your brand consistently delivers a clear message and a reliable experience that supports that message over time.

Other factors that play into branding authenticity:

• An understanding of how different generations communicate. For instance, Gen Z are adept at spotting insincerity. A brand that adopts a social cause as a lark, will be called out.
• Culture misalignment – A company must be healthy internally to foster an authentic brand.  Employees must buy-in to the brand promise and live it daily.
• Crisis management- getting in front of the problem and transparency in crisis resolution is critical.
• Share genuine experiences without oversharing. Social media is an important channel for marketing, but many companies make the mistake of “pushing” sales messages without sharing customer experiences that convey genuine messaging.
• Maintaining a personal touch at scale. As your company grows, don’t lose sight of making each customer feel like they are your only customer.
• Awareness of cultural differences- Like generational differences, cultural nuances are important. People “see” themselves in ads, so it’s important to have diverse visuals within corporate messaging so the broader market is represented.
• Automation should be balanced with a human touch. Over reliance on AI tools can make a brand feel cold and impersonal.

In a world of skepticism, real brands win. We’ll help you align your message, culture, and marketing for lasting confidence. Contact our team today to get started.

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