Picture this: you’re walking down the road and spot a store with a new brand that sells, say, skincare products. Would you enter the store and shop for its products? Most certainly not.
It would be a silly decision to buy its products when you don’t know anything about the brand or the quality of its products.
Your customers are also like you. Just as you wouldn’t shop from a brand you don’t trust, they’re hesitant to spend their money on your brand without assurance.
So, when you’re starting with zero sales, how do you build that all-important trust from scratch? There are many strategies that can help you connect with potential customers and demonstrate your credibility.
Here, we’ll explore some effective ways to foster that trust and pave your path to success.
#1 Share the Human Side of Your Business
Trusting brands is hard for consumers. The goal of brands, after all, is to make money.
About 87% or 9 in 10 executives believe that consumers have a high level of trust in their brands. But consumers say otherwise. Only 30% of them actually trust businesses. That’s according to the 2022 Consumer Intelligence Series Survey of PWC.
Showing that there are real people behind your brand can help you overcome consumer skepticism. Customers want to connect with the person or team driving the business, not just a faceless company.
Share your story with your customers. Tell them why you started this journey and what inspired you. Let people in on your process, from the early challenges to the exciting breakthroughs.
Behind-the-scenes videos or casual updates on social media can help you share your journey with your audience.
Have a team? Introduce them to everyone. You can also share moments from your day-to-day life as a business owner. Maybe you’re experimenting with new ideas, hand-packaging orders, or juggling family life with work—show it. That way, you will be able to build an emotional connection with your customers.
#2 Provide Value Through Content
Don’t push your customers for that first sale, though it’s tempting to do so.
Your target audience won’t be compelled to purchase unless they see that you’re focused on helping them, not just selling to them. Focus on providing value upfront. This will build trust and position you as an authority in your niche.
Create social media posts where you share tips, how-tos, or insights related to your product. If you’re selling fitness equipment, for instance, offer free workout routines or health tips on your social media.
About 8 in 10 internet users read blogs on a regular basis. Americans, surprisingly, spend three times more time reading blogs compared to their emails.
Don’t sleep on starting a blog on your website. If you are yet to build a website for your business, now is the right time to get down to it.
You no longer have to put in blood, sweat, and tears to create a website from scratch. These days, AI-powered website builders have made building a website a breeze.
Thanks to their intuitive interface, anyone can create a website using AI website builders, even those without any technical background.
All you have to do is answer the questions the AI wizard asks you and rest easy. It will put together a one-of-a-kind website in a matter of minutes.
User-friendly interface aside, time and cost-efficiency and professional design are other perks of using an AI-powered website builder, says Hocoos. Thus, you can focus more on producing valuable content and connecting with your audience rather than getting bogged down by the technical details of web design.
In addition, setting up a virtual office address linked to your website can give your business a professional presence, even if you operate from a remote or home office. A virtual address can add credibility for clients who value having an official contact location, as well as for receiving essential business mail.
#3 Offer a Guarantee or Return Policy
What if the product doesn’t meet their expectations?—That’s one thing that makes people fear the most when buying from a new brand.
Ease your target audience’s concerns by offering a guarantee or return policy.
When you assure your target audience that they can get their money back if things don’t work out, they’re much more likely to give your products a shot. It shows that you stand behind your product and aren’t afraid to take a risk alongside them.
A clear return policy also helps. Make sure it’s easy to understand—no fine print that could lead to confusion. For example, if they can return an item within 30 days for any reason, highlight that.
This transparency shows you care about customer satisfaction, not just making a sale.
Brands like Cariuma and Pact are driving customer loyalty with frictionless returns experiences. As a result, consumers are rewarding them by shopping more.
Starting with zero sales isn’t the end of the world; it’s just the beginning.
To make your first sale, building customer trust is important. That won’t happen overnight; rather, it will take time.
Every little step you take will bring you closer to that first sale. Soon enough, those zero sales will turn into loyal customers. So, stay authentic, engaging, and committed to providing value, and eventually, your hard work will pay off.
Also Read: How to Attract More Customers with Powerful Marketing
