In today’s market, brands and products are introduced at super speeds. Research indicates that approximately 250,000 products are launched per year and these products have an average of an 85 to 95 percent failure rate. While new brands come and go, some stand out and last. At the root of being a brand that lasts, is credibility and trust. Trust and transparency rank even higher than product quality. This brings us to the topic of building a professional name for yourself and why credibility is so important.
Customers are wary of scams and shady marketing tactics and they are more often basing their purchasing decisions on how genuine they believe a company to be. Unfortunately, many companies do not practice authenticity and instead try to build their companies on what they believe customers want to hear. Listening to customers, however, is not all about repeating back to them whey they say. This is not the path to building a professional name for yourself. It is not about trapping customers with empty promises. Instead, it is about steadfastly proclaiming what you believe in and then taking a step back to see who is drawn to the message.
Brands that are authentic are able to establish and maintain a loyal following. In discussing building a professional name for yourself, it should be part of the business’s core to maintain authenticity and produce results and outcomes based on this. Customers will then share their experiences with their friends and family and if the company stays true to their message and continues to provide products or services that are in line with customers’ expectations, you will develop a brand that will stand the test of time.
If you are thinking of launching a startup or introducing a new brand, here are some points which are key to building a professional name for yourself.
Clearly define your mission and values. This could take a while to mull over. You will need to choose which values you are ready to commit to unwaveringly and you will want to convey this with clear messaging.
Do not half-heartedly commit to something that you are not fully prepared to embrace. Customers will see through this and credibility will not be established.
Determine how and where you will showcase your authenticity in establishing credibility. Whether it is online with social media or your blog or behind the scenes interactions with others, really get to know your audience and allow them to get to know you as well.
Keep your messaging consistent. The messages that you are sending out through marketing, promotions, and social media should be completely in line with the in-person experience that you are providing to customers.
Prepare for opposition. When a business gains a certain level of publicity, this often attracts backlash. Do not let this distract you or discourage you from your values and mission. Stay true to your messaging, your core beliefs, and you will gain the respect you deserve from those around you. Loyal customers will continue to support you based on the trust and credibility you have established.
Credibility in leadership is just as important as establishing credibility in the brand. Actively engaging, as a leader, in actions that follow the same value system as the brand is a critical part in establishing credibility and trust for your brand. Again, acting with integrity, being consistent, communicating, caring for others, being committed and inspiring others as a leader will support you in building a professional name for yourself as well as establishing credibility and trust.
In the end, launching a business and building a professional name is about being true to your values, expressing those values unwaveringly, and following through on promises to customers and clients. For those who adopt this method in embracing authenticity for establishing a business or a brand, you will find that building a company on a solid foundation provides lasting and tremendous stability that is unparalleled, no matter the challenges that lie ahead.
