Any small business owner will tell you that the community is your biggest asset. Creating and maintaining trusting relationships with your clients is paramount to developing a successful brand. Of course, understanding what your customers want to see in your small business marketing isn’t always clear cut.

In a saturated market, consumers want to support honest brands they can trust. In an age of PR scandals, sale of personal data, Twitter beef, and dishonest business practices, it’s no wonder 7 in 10 Americans do their due diligence before showing support for a brand. So, how do you strategize content and marketing tactics and still present as an authentic and trustworthy brand?

Content

Creating data-driven and informative on-site and off-site content is a great way to establish your brand as a trustworthy leader in your industry. Whether you provide helpful tips or updates on social media or develop statistically sound resources to publish on your website, customers recognize the content as an indicator of authenticity and reliability.

Using real data or helpful resources in your messaging helps remove bias from the conversation and helps confirm the fact that your brand is coming from a place of honesty. For example, Red Egg conducted a study of over 1,000 consumers to find out what companies they’re more willing to support, and how often the average person goes out of their way to shop local. We are now able to use this research to better serve our clients and prove the ROI and value of marketing efforts.

Whenever you’re able to provide hard facts backing your products, service, or company, clients will feel more willing to trust you.

Brand Messaging

Behind every brand, there are people – and this is one of the greatest aspects of marketing for smaller-scale businesses. The more you can show the personality behind the brand, the more you’ll be able to relate to your clientele.

From a mission statement to your social media presence, try to speak to your client base on a personal level. Try featuring your team wins or social activities. Participating in a local food drive? Let your clients know! Feel passionate about a new product or vendor? Share it!

When your clients see a message communicated by someone who is personally involved and passionate, it makes your brand stand out.

Give Back

When considering your small business marketing goals, keep in mind that now more than ever, people are more intentional with the way they choose companies to support. Whether they’re reading your blog posts or looking into charitable contributions your brand has made, customers are always watching.

Supporting a socially conscious brand makes your customers feel more emotionally connected. In fact, 85 percent say they are more likely to buy a product that is associated with a charity. Consider doing a partnership with another local shop or charity. It will boost the morale of your team as well as strengthen your relationship with your clients – not to mention you’ll be doing some good in the community. Make sure to choose a charity that aligns well with your business in order to keep your messaging clear.

Anything you can do to present your company in a positive light will help prove your brand as authentic and trustworthy.

Small Business Marketing

Branding is a key component in marketing, and small businesses have a very specific niche that allows you to capitalize on your branding efforts to convert loyal clients.

If you’re ready to grow your relationships with your clients and community, consider these tips! It’s never too late to implement a strong marketing strategy.