by Rea Gierran
MANILA – Trust takes a lifelong worth of work to build, and it’s terrifying how it can be easily destroyed in a matter of seconds.
For Charles Cadell, President of McCann Asia Pacific World Group, shares that trust is hard to build, but it’s important, because it’s the lifeblood of loyalty. Trust is ultimately what marketing is all about. It’s what convinces customers to choose a certain brand over thousands of products and services available out there.
Speaking before an audience of advertising and marketing professionals, Cadell pointed out that customers can’t be tricked anymore, and they can be very unforgiving if a brand has disappointed them. 88% percent of them will tell their friends if a product or service fails to deliver what it originally promised.
So how do you build trust in an untrusting world? Cadell defines the six pillars of building trust:
Establishing credibility with the help of external stakeholders
According to Charles, the external stakeholders’ role is to keep the brands honest. This serves a reminder for brands to deliver what they claim they can do. Customer reviews are not only essential; they also have to be taken as a means to garner trust.
Brands which embrace positive reviews alongside with the negative ones are often perceived as successful. Negative reviews humanize the brand. They are likely to sell more if they have negative reviews together with the positive reviews.
Craft a strategy based on authenticity
“Do what you say, deliver on what you say you are.” This pertains to the internal strategy the company or organization implements to exhibit what the brand really stands for. To be authentic, employees themselves must believe the brand’s philosophy.
Ruthless transparency
Transparency means being as open, communicative and accountable as possible at all times, especially when disaster strikes. Ruthless transparency is working with a legal partner to get clear advice, and then taking calculated risks in the kind of information the brand reports to the public. Bad news must not be sugarcoated; truth must be told when it’s hardest to do so, because it’s the most important thing.
Train leadership to listen
Charles introduced the notion of active listening by identifying the difference between listening and hearing. Listening is not just paying attention; it’s about understanding what the other person is trying to say. Good leadership in any organization according to him is about having a leader who is capable of sending signals through active listening, in terms of what is expected in their organization.
Manage reputation through responsiveness
Being able to adapt quickly and then moving back to standard form of stability when crisis strikes is what managing reputation through responsiveness is all about.
You know your business has a good reputation when your stockholders remain intact.
Creating a culture of affirmation
You have to constantly ask for people’s approval. It’s not all about the marketing message. If it’s not believable, the consumers will hold you accountable to it.
