Can I trust you? Why your words matter

Marketing communication is all about establishing, building and maintaining trust. Never has this been more true than it is right now, in the midst of economic turmoil, global economies and information (and promotional) overload. If you consider your marketing as the conversation you're having with your target audiences and your mechanism for building business relationships, then this mindset falls easily into place.

Trust is the cornerstone of all good conversations. It is the foundation on which we build all relationships, and marketing relationships are no exception. People want to feel their needs are understood and met. They want to feel like they know the companies they do business with. Part of the rise of social media marketing tools and online communities can be credited to this, but it's equally true with your print materials, your emails, on your web site and with your media outreach. Effective copywriting always aims to build trust with your audience.

Start with these six reminders and you're well on your way.

1. Understand that emotion really does matter.  We do not buy anything based on an unbiased examination of the facts. It's just not how humans are wired. That doesn't mean we won't be looking at those facts to bolster our purchasing decisions. But there's something deeper at play. How many of us will choose to do business with a local company even when it costs a bit more? What's that really about? Or why, when two salesmen tried their best to talk me into a more neutral color, did I buy a red sofa last week? Is red inherently a better color than chocolate or taupe? I doubt it. And it might even fade sooner. But their arguments never came close to hitting the emotional buttons (or my desire for more color) that triggered my purchase in the first place.

2. Show some authority.  Authorities are the folks we look to when we have questions, when we want to do our jobs better. Authorities are visible with the answers. Authorities share information, and they share when they've reached a milestone or been recognized  for their services and products. Yes, eventually, we want to make the sale, but for most of us as marketers (and as business owners we are all marketers), the immediate response we want has changed. We want to be positioning our businesses first and making the sale as a result of our position in the marketplace and our well-matched relationship with the prospect. That's an easier road than trying to sell to every potential client or customer who happens by. Think about it.

3. Have a conversation. If you were to sit down with your best client or customer over a cup of coffee, what would you want them to know? How would you convey that to them? What types of questions might they ask you? Where would they naturally seek more information? Taking a customer service approach to your copywriting will naturally put you in a more conversational frame of mind. And as if by magic, the corporate-speak and meaningless language in your materials will begin to disappear.

4. Talk about them, not you. Part of being conversational is showing that you care about the person you're talking to. When you're writing copy for your web site, brochure, presentation, white paper or what have you, consider skipping the "here's where we tell you how great we are" portion of the program. Engage your audience by addressing their needs, their emotional hot buttons and their intellectual curiosity. Show them how to do their jobs better or improve their life. Sure, share a little personality, but don't cram down their throats how great you and your business are. Instead, be great. Let them see it for themselves.

5. Just be who you are. It's trendy these days to talk about authentic marketing. (In fact, one fed-up colleague recently mentioned that she'd leave our meeting if anyone used that term!) But buzzwords aside, there is great value in allowing your marketing communications to truly represent you and your business. No one likes the feeling they get when reading copy that conjures up images of snake oil salesmen. I've never had anyone tell me that this is the feeling they're going for in their marketing materials, yet many read this way. So relax, drop the sales pitch for a moment and let your natural personality be revealed. Your materials will feel and read so much better for it.

6. Build the relationship. This is where positioning programs and continuity make so much sense. As much as we all want to make that sale right out of the gate (and yes, sometimes it happens), people will forget about you unless you remind them. Gently. So put them on your list, give them reasons to visit your web site or blog, to participate in your communities and to take you up on your offers. Communicate with them regularly and be of service. In certain industries I work in, folks say "it's all about the relationship." I'm going out on a limb to say that's true in ALL industries.

The next time you sit down to write, or even to plan a project, keep these reminders close by. I promise you'll see a positive shift in how you approach the marketing conversation, and where there is a positive shift, results follow.