Every successful brand has one thing in common: people trust them. Whether it’s trust to do the right thing ethically, trust in quality offered, or trust in what you stand for, earning trust requires consistent value and reliability over time. If you’re looking to strengthen customer trust in your brand, these best-in-class examples showcase how to build a lasting, loyal relationship with customers.
Timeless quality
As an iconic children’s brand, LEGO has built its legacy around innovation, quality and timelessness – playing LEGOs never goes out of style, no matter who you are or what generation you came from. But beyond being an enduring, top-of-mind toy, LEGO’s implicit brand promise is more emotionally resonant. LEGO is trusted as a brand that helps young minds grow. It’s a unique learning tool that teaches kids how to build and create worlds of fun, limited only by their imagination. Playing with LEGOs is both enjoyable and educational, which creates a strong positive association among parents. There is also emotional nostalgia among adults without kids who have fond childhood memories of their own and buy into other parts of the franchise like the LEGO movie, LEGO Worlds video games or LEGOLAND Discovery Centers.
Go-to services or offerings
A whopping 90% of people have a positive view of the Google brand, more so than even crowd pleasers Apple or Amazon. Why? It’s cornered the market on the service it provides, making it overwhelmingly the default search engine, email and web browser of choice for people worldwide. People use Google without any thought; it’s so utilitarian that there is no longer any other decision process involved (after all, who remembers Bing, Microsoft’s answer to Google?) And it’s such a part of our daily lives it’s even become a verb; when you want to know about something, you simply Google it. It helps that there have been no major tech scandals like data breaches or divisive content that other companies have faced, but the fact remains: Google is the most trusted tech brand because its reliable, go-to utility never lets you down.
Corporate responsibility
In 2021, Patagonia came in at #1 in the Axios-Harris Poll 100, which ranks U.S. companies’ reputations based on various aspects like trust, products/services, culture and ethics. How did they come out on top? Not only are they beloved for their high-quality outdoor products, they are also known for taking strong political stances. In today’s charged environment, Patagonia has strengthened its brand by leaning into controversial topics like climate change and voting rights. Because Patagonia backs certain causes and has made significant operational decisions based on their values, customers perceive them as an ethically responsible company that is flexing their corporate weight for good, thus building trust that converts into sales.
Community care
Texas-based grocery giant H-E-B is already loved by many for its fair pricing and unique local offerings. But what really puts them in a category of their own is how they genuinely take care of their Texas community, especially in times of crisis. In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, their disaster response unit monitored the storm and its aftermath, then developed a plan to provide relief to those in impacted areas with mobile kitchens and supply convoys with fresh water and groceries. They also kept stores open and running so customers could return to normalcy sooner. During the early stages of the pandemic in 2020, their emergency preparedness team once again took care of not just the community but its own employees. They extended sick leave, rolled out a pay raise of $2/hour, limited store hours to provide more time to safely restock shelves, limited purchase of items in shortage like toilet paper and disinfectant sprays, and coordinated efforts with other partners to get more inventory in store. All of this was rolled out days or weeks before other supermarket chains even had a plan in place.
H-E-B’s smart foresight and planning during statewide crises has helped out millions of Texans in need over the years, but it also shows time and again how much they truly care about serving their community with compassion. This next-level kind of community support is as big a part of H-E-B’s brand as groceries, and that builds huge trust with customers.
Though there are different factors that lead to trustworthiness in a brand, reliability is key. You can learn from best-in-class brands as models for how to forge long-lasting customer trust in your own business.
If you need help strengthening your brand, including managing online reviews, let’s chat. Please reach out to Barbara Wray at barbara@wickmarketing.com or (512) 479-9834.
