Why Transparency Can Make Or Break Your Brand
If someone were to ask your followers what your brand is all about, what would they say?
Unfortunately, for most businesses, the answer would be something along the lines of, “I’m not sure.” It can be all too easy to focus your time and resources solely on selling your product or service. But regardless of your industry, consumers are searching for transparency from the brands they buy from like never before. What are your company’s values, and what promises do you uphold for your consumers? What are you working towards, and what is your overall mission? Whether or not you’re willing to address these questions in a transparent way throughout your marketing can make or break your brand.
If you want to build and gain loyal fans or followers, you need to be able to have transparency weaved throughout your marketing efforts. There is more pressure than ever to make your brand stand out from your competitors online. But the best thing you can do is to clarify your brand message and values and get your audience to buy-in. So why exactly is transparency so important? And how can you practice more transparency in your business?
Why Transparency?
Did you know 86% of Americans say transparency from businesses is more important than ever before? But in the digital age where consumers have endless options on where and who they buy from, earning trust as a brand or public figure can be difficult. That’s why showing off who you are, what you believe, and what your product is a key step to transparent marketing.
In another recent study, 56 percent of those surveyed said additional product information inspires more trust in a given brand. Whether you’re sharing the ingredients of your product or even admitting when you’ve made a mistake, honesty in your social communication holds you accountable to a certain standard of excellence with your customers.
Transparency is also a great way to build loyalty with both your customers and the members of your team. When you prioritize transparency as a business, you will more easily earn consumer trust, see an increase in your sales, and boost your reputation in your industry.
How To Show Transparency Online
Social media is the perfect platform to reveal the story, purpose, and heart behind your brand. Your email list is also a key, personalized way to have one-on-one conversations, receive feedback, and share stories with your audience.
No matter where you are in the development and growth of your brand, you always have an opportunity to clarify your mission and your relationships with other brands and consumers – potentially changing the trajectory of your business for the better.
So share what your product is made of. Be clear about your value system, and talk openly about how you manage your business. Be transparent about what is true for your brand so your audience can establish a deeper level of trust with you.
YOU are the best source for potential customers to learn about what you have to offer and how it relates to them. Be sure that you control the narrative and keep the lines of communication open. If you want to see success, be available and consistent. Let your customers know how to reach you, and be willing to give them honest answers when they ask.
Where can you work on practicing transparency as a brand? Great places to start are your website home page, or your About and Services page. Make your social media bios more accessible. Help customers find the information they’re looking for quickly. Make published reports from your company available for those who ask. If you make a claim, prove it! Give facts, and always back them up with numbers, surveys, or case studies whenever possible.
If you want lifelong customers who stick with your brand through thick and thin, then it’s time to get transparent.