Guest Blogger: Brooklin Nash
Digital marketing offers an opportunity for brands to connect with customers unlike ever before. But it also presents a challenge: choosing which channels of marketing and sales to double down on.
According to a report from TrustRadius, most brands don’t offer the level of authenticity and credibility that consumers are looking for. Companies will focus on vendor blogs or sales emails, when buyers want information sources that give them unbiased insight - like user reviews or industry awards.
These are resources that come directly from peers or customers. So how can you use them to build trust and confidence with your buyers?
The Alternative: Authentic Advocacy
The alternative to this kind of disconnect is choosing to build your brand through authentic advocacy. This means starting by actively listening to the feedback of your customers and then using this feedback as the foundation of your marketing and sales efforts. While customer reviews are the most common resource, industry awards are a fantastic way to leverage a crowdsourced resource for credibility.
“Awards offer a chance to tell others that not only do you think you're one of the best in the business but so do people in a place to judge ability.”
In other words, content that comes from outside the company - like customer reviews and awards - lets others speak about the trust and confidence your target audience can have. This can go much further than standalone marketing material with the same sales language you’ve been using.
3 Ways to Leverage a Badge Award to Build Confidence
If you’re in the position of having received an industry award, you’re also in the position to leverage it to build your brand. This may not be an exhaustive guide, but here are a few tips to help you get started.
#1: Let others speak for you. If you’re in the position to receive an industry award, there’s a good chance you’re already doing a lot of things right. The satisfied customers you’re sure to have can become brand ambassadors, provided you take the right approach. Start by building the groundwork early so that these loyal customers can share your win, adding authenticity to your brand.
#2: Leverage the badge award naturally. The most natural way is to take multiple approaches. A press release can be picked up by high authority sites, high authority links can be shared on social media, and all of this can turn into a blog post on what led to your business’ success. This kind of natural storytelling will go much further than simply plastering the badge award on your site.
#3: Don’t neglect your marketing materials. Making your award prominent in your marketing isn’t tacky - it’s bringing a new level of credibility to your sales. You can schedule out social media posts, make it front and center on your landing page, or even include it in your email signature. This is something your business has earned - and it’s something your target audience will want to know.
Do you have more ideas about how to leverage awards for authentic advocacy? Feel free to share this post and your thoughts!
Brooklin Nash writes about the latest tools and small business trends for TrustRadius. When he’s not writing, you can find him reading YA dystopian fiction (with guilty pleasure) and cooking.