Why trust is essential for lead generation and how to build it

Any business knows the importance of lead generation to drive up paying customers. But are you getting the best results possible for your business marketing activity? Building up trust is essential for converting leads and delivering a return on the digital activities you complete.

So, why is trust important in the lead generation process?

With any lead generation activity, you’re aiming to persuade the customer to make a purchase from you. Lead generation should be considered the first step in the sales process and a chance to establish a relationship while setting up a vital impression of your business. Lead generation is your opportunity to get customers interested and keen to learn more, a step that’s trust is vital for.

Of course, making sales is your top priority when embarking on lead generation activity but shifting the focus to hone in on building trust, can yield better results. Think of it as a trust building exercise that problem solves for your potential customers and you can expect your conversion rates to increase alongside your strategy development.

10 ways to build trust with lead generation

If establishing trust is something you want to focus on with your marketing strategy moving forward, we’ve got ten steps to implement to deliver a boost.

1. Create audience focused content – To build trust, you need to show that you care about the potential customers you’re targeting during lead nurturing. A simple way to do this is to shift your focus to the customer throughout all your content if it’s not something you already do. Rather than looking at what you, as a business offer, consider how your products or services will be useful to the end consumer that you’re targeting.
2. Target your content – Within your target audience, you’ll no doubt have more than one segment, each with a different reason for being interested in your brand. Segmenting your content to reflect this can help build trust. Firstly, it means that your message stays on point for each individual group of customers, reflecting a better understanding of their needs. Secondly, it also means you’re not bombarding leads with communication, a sure-fire way to turn them off and feel distrustful of you.
3. Be transparent – This one might seem a bit obvious but it’s one that many businesses can forget about and if consumers feel like they’ve been lied to, it can be difficult to earn their trust back. So, if you’re an online retailer, make your delivery charges are clear or if you’re offering a spectacular deal ensure you make any restrictions obvious. It’s a step that might affect some of your metrics, such as click-through rates, in a seemingly negative way but it’s vital for building trust and when done right it can boost your conversions.
4. Show off your brand voice – Competition can be incredibly high and it’s tempting to follow the lead of your rivals. But standing out from the crowd can be beneficial. Having your own identity not only serves to differentiate you from rivals but can help your brand seem more authentic.
5. Demonstrate your trust – As a business, you should make gathering feedback and testimonials part of your strategy. These steps provide invaluable data to base future decisions on, plus help establish your business as a trustworthy organisation. Lead generation materials are the perfect place to demonstrate that previous and current customers value what you’ve delivered and ease concerns that leads may have had.
6. Provide accessible information – When you undertake lead marketing at the moment, do you provide a way for potential customers to gather more information? Doing so can help cement the trust you’ve been building. It shows you’ve thought about the needs of the customers, whether you’ve provided a link to gadget specifications or provided social media handles for keeping up to date with the latest news. Your aim should be to make further information readily accessible.
7. Use multiple means of communication – Creating a unified communication strategy with lead nurturing in mind can result in a higher return on digital investment. An odd email here and there can seem suspicious, especially if you’re not a brand that the customer is currently actively interested in. Blending this with other forms of lead generation helps to demonstrate that your brand values, offering, and commitment is consistent.
8. Don’t overly focus on sales – Your lead nurturing activity’s main goal is to create sales. But focussing on this aspect can lead to distrust. Your leads know that you’re trying to get them to purchase from your brand, however, come across as too pushy and they’ll shy away. Striking the right balance when it comes to sales can be difficult but get it right and you’ll benefit. Call to actions should be part of your lead materials but don’t make this your core focus when crafting content.
9. Offer promotions or freebies – Offering promotions or freebies as part of your business marketing can deliver a significant return on investment. It shows that you’re confident enough in your products or services to let them speak for themselves. Potential customers that have tried out your brand offering for themselves are far more likely to view you as a business they can rely on and trust, improving the chances that they’ll convert and make a purchase.
10. Be consistent – From your tone of voice through to how often you contact leads, consistency is a key part of building trust. It shows that your company is professional, organised, and committed to staying in contact. A lack of consistency can be confusing to the consumers when they’re trying to understand what you want or what your call to action is. Create a clear framework for all team members working on lead marketing to craft a unified strategy.

With building trust at the centre of your lead marketing strategy, you’ll be in a better position to forge beneficial relationships.