What exactly is online trust, and why does every business have it so wrong?

Trust is a word that we often use, but are not always sure how to put it into action in business, especially in an online, digital business, like most of us currently have. We often think that it is just about “doing the right thing”, or “getting to know you”, but it actually runs a lot deeper than that.

Yet still, trust takes on the “tech” side of things, with “secure servers”, “SSL”, “encryption”… yet we’ve totally missed the mark on what it really is, and how it still needs the human element, despite it being a technology centric medium. These are a given, and something that you must have if you have these types of transactions… but this isn’t really “Trust”, is it?

Why is that, you might ask? Well, by now, we should all be aware of the Know – Like – Trust Triangle for getting business done. Of course, it is rarely talked about in detail, other than just to use as talking points in most cases, and completely glossing over the trust aspects, as heck, we don’t REALLY need to know this, do we?

Do you really know what Know/Like/Trust means… even with a focus on the “Trust” side of the equation?

Here goes…

Getting people to KNOW you, means getting out there and producing your value for others to see. This is you, creating media, video, blogs, speaking, conferences – you know – content. Kind of easy, right? Just create a sound strategy and a content plan and you’ll start to tick this box.

And,

Getting people to LIKE you is really about sharing the same values and underlying behaviours. Smart? Crazy? Fun? Being fun, informative, crazy, sympathetic, or some trait that others enjoy about you. This is you, being “authentic”. There is no-one except yourself. So, look in the mirror and get to know yourself better, so your audience can get to know you better.

Trust in business is something different.

So, I KNOW You & LIKE you… but how can I actually “TRUST” you?

Your Customer may not be “scared” to trust you, they just want and expect you to be accountable to them

It’s not as simple as having a nice website or a great blog, or even some videos. It’s not about your personal branding, either.

Trust allows us all to create closure on all the things that a person needs to see before they do business with you. It’s not about having a secure site and an SSL or “Credit Card locked” symbol. It goes far beyond the technical requirements of “trust”. Trust, after all, is primarily a “human” interaction. We have mistakenly carried it over to the technology side, with such things as secure servers and other technologies that don’t necessarily create trust, but rather technological “security”. These are completely different terms and require completely different requirements to enable them.

Trust in transformation involves 3 Core Manifestations, that don’t involve technology.

1. Permission
2. Privacy
3. Personalisation

Why is this important?

“Permission marketing is the privilege (not the right) of delivering anticipated, personal and relevant messages to people who actually want to get them.

It recognizes the new power of the best consumers to ignore marketing. It realizes that treating people with respect is the best way to earn their attention.”

– Seth Godin

“Your customer now calls the shots with their permission; you need to respond”

“Privacy is the number one concern from online consumers, with 86% of users taking active steps to improve their safety online”, according to Brandon Gaille.

And as more data privacy regulations and guidelines are put into action by governments, industries and privacy organizations around the world, it’s becoming increasingly important that marketers understand these rules and follow them – or face penalties and/or fines.

“You owe your customer unending privacy”

Personalized marketing is the implementation of a strategy by which companies deliver individualized content to recipients through data collection, analysis, and the use of automation technology.

The goal of personalized marketing is to truly engage customers or prospective customers by communicating with each as an individual. And no, it’s not using the name of your customer in the {Name} field, either. It’s knowing what interests them and makes them unique.

Personalized means more than having their name right. It’s about understanding what makes them, them.

Trust in Digital Business Transformation can only be gained by providing a clear route for the human side of the interaction. And, it covers the 3 core manifestations of Privacy, Permission & Personalization. This is how you create trust online.

How are you creating the opportunities for these 3 primary manifestations?

This is how you can continue the conversation, beyond just the technological requirements of it. It has to be safe from a technology perspective, but in order to build trust with the customers “behind” the technology, it must have these three distinct characteristics, otherwise, there is, in fact, no human connection here. Trust is not an interface. Trust is a human condition. You have the technology, now you have to make it human, again.

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Summary

“Trust in Transformation is critical for success. Trust in transformation involves 3 Core Ingredients – permission, privacy, and personalisation. It can only be gained by providing a clear route for the human side of the interaction. This is how you can continue the conversation, beyond just the technological requirements of it. It has to be safe from a technology perspective, but in order to build trust with the customers “behind” the technology, it must have these three distinct characteristics, otherwise, there is, in fact, no human connection here. Trust is not an interface. It’s a human condition. You have the technology, now you have to make it human, again.”

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