I have 10 marketing messages that work, not only to generate sales, but also to build long-term, value-based relationships between customers and companies.
Learn how you can increase customer confidence by highlighting your money-back guarantee, free trial periods and stable market presence.
In this article you will learn how to use these tools in your marketing strategy through concrete examples.
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Marketing is not just about presenting products or services, it is also about understanding customers’ emotions and decision-making processes.
Today, winning the trust of your customers goes far beyond traditional sales techniques; it’s actually the key to business success.
But how can we achieve this trust in a world where consumers are confronted with countless (too many) marketing messages every day?
Modern marketing is no longer about simply presenting products or services. Rather, it is about understanding customers’ emotions, needs and decision-making processes.
But how can this be done effectively?
These strategies aim not only to generate immediate sales, but also to build long-term, value-based relationships.
What are these methods and how can they be used effectively in everyday business practice?
In this article, I will present 10 marketing messages that can effectively increase your customers’ trust.
1. Money Back Guarantee
Offering a money-back guarantee is a powerful tool to build trust with your customers. It is not just a marketing ploy, but a serious commitment to the quality of the product or service and customer satisfaction.
Why is it effective?
Increase confidence: a guarantee shows that the company is confident about the quality of the product and is willing to take the financial risk if the customer is not satisfied.
Risk reduction: for customers, this is a form of insurance that reduces the risk of “trying a new product”.
Positive brand perception: such a policy can lead to long-term brand loyalty and positive word of mouth.
How do we use it effectively?
Clear terms and conditions: the terms of the guarantee must be communicated clearly and understandably to avoid misunderstandings.
Easy refund process: the refund process should be simple and user-friendly.
Highlighting in marketing materials: the guarantee should be prominently communicated in marketing materials and on the web.
Collecting customer feedback: the guarantee is also used to collect valuable feedback on your products or services.
Important aspects
Managing costs: make sure the company can manage potential reimbursements without jeopardising the stability of the business.
Observe customer behaviour: observe customer behaviour and analyse how the guarantee affects sales and customer satisfaction.
Continuous improvement, optimisation: based on feedback, continuously improve the product/service to reduce the number of returns.
A money-back guarantee is not just a marketing tool, it is a sign of a company’s firm commitment to quality and customer satisfaction. Effective use can increase brand loyalty and build long-term trust between customers and the company.
2. First Hour/Month Free
The “First Hour/Free for a Month” offer is a great way to reduce the risk of new customers while introducing them to your product/service. This strategy helps people to get a personal experienceof your offer without making a financial commitment.
Why is it effective?
Trial and error: it may be attractive for customers to try a product or service before spending money on it.
Building trust: the possibility to try without risk increases customer trust in the brand and the offer.
Reducing barriers: a free introductory period reduces the barriers that can hold people back from using the service.
How do we use it effectively?
Fixed duration: Clearly define the duration of the free period and the conditions for continuation. Be fair, no fine print, because one disappointment and the trust is gone!
Demonstrate value: make sure that during the free period, customers get to know and appreciate the benefits.
Communication: communicate clearly to customers the benefits of subscribing or buying.
Smoothed transition: Make the transition from free to paid service as smooth as possible for your customers.
Important aspects
Adequate duration: too short a free period will not allow customers to fully experience the product, while too long a period can cost you money.
Budget and reimbursement: make sure that your company’s budget can handle the costs of the free period.
Measurement and analysis: monitor the impact of the free period on new sign-ups, enquiries and long-term customer relationships.
This approach gives customers the opportunity to try the product or service without risk, which increases the chances of them becoming long-term customers. This is a great way to introduce a new product or service and build trust with your customers.
3. No hidden costs
The use of the phrase “No hidden costs” in marketing sends a clear message to customers: the company is completely open and fair in its pricing policy. This approach promotes transparency and honesty, which are essential elements in building customer trust. And let’s face it, we don’t need to fear a transparent process.
Why is it effective?
Building trust: customers value honesty, especially when it comes to pricing.
Positive brand image: the absence of hidden costs creates a fair and trustworthy corporate image in the minds of your customers. And what matters to us is what is there! 😉
Making the purchase decision easier: shoppers are more likely to make a decision if they know that there are no unexpected costs for a given product, and that there will be none.
How do we use it effectively?
Transparent communication: always be clear and unambiguous in your communication about prices and charges.
Detailed pricing: give details of all costs, including delivery charges, taxes and other fees.
FAQ and customer support: provide a FAQ section and/or easy-to-reach customer support where customers can get more information.
Important aspects
Correct pricing: make sure that prices reflect the true value (of course there are extreme cases, e.g. for overpriced brands… but that’s a whole other issue, you shouldn’t go any lower there, because then you lose the exclusive experience for someone who is shivering to pay 100’s of thousands of forints for a sweater :))).
Keep checking: regularly check and update your pricing information to keep it up to date.
Customer feedback: listen to customer feedback on pricing and adjust your communication accordingly.
Using the phrase “No hidden costs” is not just a marketing tool, but a commitment to fairness and transparency. This attitude helps you gain the trust of your customers and build long-term customer relationships. Ensure that this promise is consistently present in all communication channels and customer interactions.
4. Free consultation/assessment
Offering a free consultation or survey is an effective way to show potential customers what you can offer while minimising the financial risk for them. This strategy allows them to learn about the value of your services without any obligation.
Why is it effective?
No obligation introduction: a free consultation or survey gives customers the opportunity to get to know the company and its offerings without any financial commitment.
Demonstrate value: this is where you can show the benefits and solutions your service offers.
Building trust: by providing free value, you build trust with your customers.
How do we use it effectively?
Personalised approach: make sure that your free consultation or survey is personalised and relevant to your customers.
Professional implementation: show your expertise and professionalism with a free service.
Follow-up strategy: be prepared with an effective follow-up strategy after the free service to continue the relationship with the customer. Otherwise, you have worked in vain.
Important aspects
Capacity management: make sure that free services do not overburden your company’s resources.
Targeted offers: offer the free service to potential customers who are likely to be interested in paid services.
Evaluative feedback: Collect feedback from free consultations or surveys to refine your services and their presentation.
A free consultation or survey gives you the opportunity to show customers why they should invest in your company’s services. This is a unique opportunity to demonstrate value and lay the foundations for long-term customer relationships.
5. Subscription can be cancelled at any time
The “Cancel anytime” offer is a great way for the company to show that it respects the freedom of choice of its customers.
Why is it effective?
Increase customer confidence: by giving customers the option to cancel their subscription at any time, they can be more confident that they are not tied down by long-term commitments.
No-pressure commitment: customers are freer to decide whether to use a product/service if they know they can opt out at any time.
Positive brand associations: such a flexible policy has a positive impact on brand image, as it suggests customer focus.
How do we use it effectively?
Simple cancellation process: ensure a simple, quick and clear cancellation procedure so that customers do not feel trapped.
Communication: clearly mention the subscription conditions and cancellation policy in all relevant communication channels.
Customer feedback: use feedback to understand why customers unsubscribe and improve the service. Because the aim is not to help everyone to terminate a contract as easily as possible, is it ? 🙂
Important aspects
Retaining subscribers: develop strategies to retain subscribers, such as regular value creation or special offers.
Communication strategy: develop a communication strategy that emphasises the benefits of flexibility, without encouraging a quick exit.
Financial planning: be prepared for changing subscriber numbers and plan financially for possible fluctuations.
The “Cancel anytime subscription” offer is an important confidence-builder for customers. This kind of flexibility can not only increase the satisfaction of existing customers, but also attract new customers who appreciate the freedom of choice. Ensure that this policy is well communicated and consistent with the company’s customer-centric approach.
6. Trial without obligation
The “no obligation trial” option is an excellent way to provide customers with a risk-free experience of a product or service.
Why is it effective?
Risk mitigation: customers may be attracted to try without any commitment.
Demonstrate the value of your product: a no obligation trial gives you the opportunity to demonstrate the value of your product/service.
Building customer relationships: a positive first experience can build customer relationships and long-term commitment.
How do we use it effectively?
Clear communication: clearly communicate the terms and conditions of the trial so that customers know exactly what to expect.
Easy access: ensure easy access to the trial, minimising administrative barriers.
Customer support: provide excellent customer support during the trial period to ensure that customers take full advantage of the opportunity.
Important aspects
Effective tracking: be prepared to effectively follow up with customers who have taken advantage of the trial to offer them further action, purchase, subscription.
Evaluative feedback: collect feedback during the trial process to further improve your product or service.
Flexibility: be open to changes in the trial process, according to customer feedback and needs.
The possibility of a “no-obligation trial” is a powerful tool to increase customer confidence and build new customer relationships. This approach underlines the company’s confidence in its products and allows customers to decide for themselves their value. Ensure that this facility is easily accessible and well communicated.
7. Previous work/satisfied customers
Showcasing previous successful projects and satisfied customers is an effective way to provide credible evidence of your company’s capabilities and reliability. This type of content can be persuasive to new customers because it shows what you can do through real-life examples. Not to mention that you’re not praising yourself, but others are praising you – which is nothing more authentic!
Why is it effective?
Credibility: real-life examples of previous successful projects and satisfied customers add to the credibility of the company.
Social proof: people tend to trust what others have already approved, so the opinions of satisfied customers can have a big impact on decision-making.
Showcase real experiences: an opportunity to show how you have solved specific problems and created value for your customers.
How do we use it effectively?
Detailed case studies: prepare detailed case studies of your most impressive projects that showcase your problem-solving skills and successes, where you are strong and different from your competitors.
Gather customer feedback: ask for feedback and recommendations from satisfied customers and use them in your marketing materials. And if you get negative feedback, you can be very happy about that, because you can see where you need to optimise and improve. So you have to be grateful not only for the positive reviews but also for the negative ones.
Online portfolio: create an online portfolio where you can showcase your past work and related client reviews.
Important aspects
Selectivity: choose carefully which projects and client testimonials you want to highlight to best reflect your company’s strengths. It is not the number of pieces that counts, but the quality of the reviews.
Constantly updated: keep your portfolio and collection of customer reviews up to date to provide the latest and most compelling content. For example, the last review about you should not be from 2016. 🙂
Ethics and transparency: ensure that customer reviews are genuine and credible, avoiding exaggerations and misleading claims.
Showcasing previous work and satisfied clients is a very effective way to gain the trust of potential clients. These real-life examples and testimonials can help potential customers see the value and reliability of your company.
8. Known recommendations
Using recommendations from well-known companies or individuals can be a highly effective method in your marketing strategy. Attaching a well-known name or brand to a product can increase its credibility and appeal.
Why is it effective?
Social proof: a recommendation from a well-known company or person can serve as social proof, which increases its acceptance.
Increase credibility: a recommendation from a trusted, recognised actor can confirm the quality and reliability of the product/service. The rise of influencers is no coincidence!
Increase brand equity: known recommendations can also help to increase brand equity and prestige.
How do we use it effectively?
Choose the right target audience: choose well-known people or companies that are relevant to your target audience and fit your brand image.
Building collaboration: build strong and credible relationships with referrers so that referrals are honest and informed. If you can’t believe what you advertise, no one else will.
Maximise visibility: take advantage of recommendations across marketing channels, including your website, social media, print advertising… Of course, after you have done the necessary research, surveys and see who your target audience is and where they are (say exclusively on TikTok or workshops..)
Important aspects
Maintain credibility: make sure that testimonials are genuine and credible reflections of the quality of the product or service.
Maintain balance: don’t rely solely on known recommendations; use them as a complement to your other marketing activities.
Legal compliance: check that the use of the recommendations complies with relevant legislation and ethical standards.
The use of known recommendations in the marketing strategy can have a significant impact on the perception and acceptance of the product/service and the MARKET.
9. Warranty for products/works
Offering a guarantee on products or works is an effective way to show customers your company’s long-term commitment. This move can significantly increase customer confidence, as it suggests that the company is confident in the quality of its products and will continue to support customers in the long term.
Why is it effective?
Building trust: providing a guarantee shows that the company takes responsibility for the quality of its products.
Customer commitment: the guarantee shows that the company is willing to support its customers, even after the purchase.
Risk reduction: for customers, this reduces the risk of making the wrong decision.
How do we use it effectively?
Clear conditions: make the terms of the guarantee clear and understandable so that customers know exactly what to expect. I cannot stress enough that the more transparent you are and the more transparent your offers are, the more they will trust you.
Easy to claim: Provide a simple process for claiming the guarantee so that customers don’t feel frustrated or let down.
Active communication: actively communicate the existence and benefits of the guarantee across all marketing channels.
Important aspects
Adequate support: make sure that the company will be able to support warranty claims without adversely affecting business.
Guarantee scope: Clearly define what the warranty covers, what it does not cover, how long it lasts, etc. so all the details.
Customer relationship management: develop a way of managing warranty cases that strengthens customer relationships and brand loyalty. Let this process be a positive customer experience.
A guarantee on products or works is a very effective way to build and maintain customer trust. Providing a guarantee shows that the company is committed to its customers and willing to take responsibility for the quality of its products or services. This increases customer confidence and brand loyalty.
10. Decades of market presence
Highlighting decades of market presence in your company’s communications sends a strong message to customers: the company is stable and reliable. This is particularly important for customer confidence, as a long-term presence indicates that the company has consolidated its position in the market and survived business challenges. Obviously, only communicate if it is true 🙂 If you buy a company, create a new brand under it, it doesn’t mean that you have built a 20 year old business… So let’s start from the assumption that you have been in the game for a long time with your brand, your business:
Why is it effective?
Long-term reliability: a long-established company suggests reliability and experience, which is attractive to customers.
Stability: a long-term presence indicates that the company is on a stable footing, which inspires confidence. I would say that in today’s market, a client will not be scared that the company will go bankrupt by the time his ad appears.
Experience and expertise: decades of operation also indicate that the company has a wide range of experience and expertise in its field.
How do we use it effectively?
Storytelling: use the company’s story in your communication to show how it has developed and maintained its position in the market.
Highlight achievements and milestones: highlight the company’s key achievements and milestones.
Trust-building content: create content that demonstrates the long-term commitment and stability of the company.
Important aspects
Relevance to the present: make sure that your communication does not just focus on the past, but shows that the company is still relevant and innovative in today’s market.
Connecting past and future: show how past experience has helped you to address current and future challenges.
Trusted branding: use long-term market presence to strengthen your brand image and build customer trust.
Emphasising decades of market presence can be a powerful way of communicating a company’s reliability and stability. This message can help to increase customer confidence, especially in a market where new businesses often appear and disappear. Demonstrating a long-term presence helps differentiate your company from competitors and can reassure customers that they are dealing with a reliable and experienced service provider.
These communication strategies are not just about strengthening the market position of products or services. It is more about building a deep relationship of mutual trust between customers and the company. Building and maintaining trust is essential for long-term business success, as it lays the foundation for long-lasting and loyal customer relationships.
Well-crafted marketing messages play a key role, as they can reinforce the feeling in customers that the company is truly cares about them and value themnot just as customers, but as long-term partners.
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