Have you noticed that today’s consumers are more and more becoming a sceptical bunch, progressively stubbornly so, and harder to please?
Meanwhile, business mentors provide us with improved communication strategies to engage more meaningfully with our clients. While their suggestions for a new strategic approach have credence, unless it is delivered with honesty and sincerity, it will fail.
- Numerous consumer surveys, such as the 2018 Edelman Trust Barometer, suggest that there is an erosion of trust in our institutions
- Not just corporations but also media, government and non-governmental organisations in many markets, including products and service providers.
This erosion has hit brands particularly hard. According to Edelman, only 52% of global respondents trust businesses. It’s even worse in the U.S., where less than half (48%) of respondents say they trust businesses.
- That’s down from 58% in 2017
- Within Australia, the statistics are equally grim.
- According to a statistic from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) almost half of Australians
- 46%, who were surveyed, indicated that they did not trust government representatives.
- There is also a growing mistrust of cosmetic influencers and online marketing and advertising, which are often viewed with suspicion or reservation.
That downward trend is forcing companies to rethink how to engage with consumers and restore the public’s confidence.
For many, it means focusing on the standard building blocks of reputation capital?– honesty, competence, ethics and reliability. But there’s another quality consumers are looking for –?authenticity. , but first, let’s take a quick look at the forces behind this loss of trust.
The Rand Corporation lays it out in sobering terms in its “Truth Decay” report in which it highlights four trends:
- Increasing disagreement about facts and analytical interpretations of facts and data
- A blurring of the line between opinion and fact
- An increase in the relative volume, and resulting influence of opinion and personal experience over fact
- Declining trust in formerly respected sources of factual information.
- Social media channels can amplify these issues.
- Platforms like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube can accelerate the spread of misleading and inaccurate information.
So, what does this mean for brands that are looking to regain some semblance of trust with potential consumers?
It means that they should prioritise winning the trust of highly sceptical consumers by focussing on developing their communication strategies with a greater emphasis on:
- Honesty
- Competence
- Ethics
- Reliability
The downfall of AI-generated marketing
On-going research from several organisations, both within Australia and globally who are surveying consumers, are consistently finding that consumers are more discerning, analytical and happy to bypass slick marketing.
- They are seeking?authenticity?as the key factor that will determine their decisions in trusting a service or a brand.
- While we can recognise the value of AI in the marketplace, we should also be very conscious that consumers are becoming more and more mistrusting of AI-generated ‘voice-overs’ and slick marketing strategies, dismissing them as inauthentic and artificially contrived.
All that glitters isn’t gold!
- And they know it. They will not be fooled. AI may have its charm for the moment, but it cannot, and it should not replace authentic communication from a living and breathing human being.
In 2017, research firm Stackla that 86% of people surveyed feel authenticity is a key factor when they’re deciding which brands they like and support.
- For millennials, brand authenticity is one of the top two ways companies can “engage and interest” them, according to data published.
- Several research companies that have surveyed consumers confirm that authenticity is now, perhaps more than ever, a business imperative.
Reviewing the definition of authenticity
- What’s less clear is how to define it.
- Authenticity is a broad and fuzzy term. It means different things to different people. It’s tough to measure, and if pressed to describe it, many would simply say,?“I know it when I see it.”?However, the best way to determine authenticity is to self-examine what it means to you.
- As we have indicated, authenticity is a combination of attributes and the convergence of the four principles mentioned above –?Honesty, Competence, Ethics and Reliability.?
- Honesty starts with oneself.
- Knowing who you are, including your strengths, but also recognising your limitations. If you are not sure of something, acknowledge it and tell your client that you will investigate it and get back to them with an accurate answer.
- There is nothing worse than waffling along, and going in circles with generalities because you don’t have the answer but don’t want to admit it.
- Your clients will not be fooled. There is something honourable in acknowledging that you don’t know something and being honest about it.
- But also reassuring others that you will investigate it and get back to them. What a wonderful way to win their trust!
Another example is your client may ask you,?“How many treatments will I need to have before I experience improvement in my skin condition?”?The honest answer may?be “I can provide you with an assumption, but let me work on your skin for a couple of treatments so that I can determine how your skin will respond to the treatment. I then will be in a better position to give you my professional opinion.”?
While you may have sold them a package of treatments, it is important to give them your feedback as you work progressively on their condition.
- This is where a skin analysis device and?“before and after”?photos can be useful.
- Articulating how you are viewing their response and progress to your treatment must be given honestly as feedback. If the improvement is slow, you may wish to articulate that you will make increases in treatment doses or adjust your setting to provide more acceptable results.
- All this information will allow your client to recognise your commitment to their treatment outcomes. Your honesty and authenticity will be appreciated.
- One of the best ways to share your competence is to share with your client new knowledge and updated information that you have gained through training, your research, or a conference program that has provided you with information that will also directly benefit them.
- Confirming your commitment and passion to higher standards and expanding your knowledge will help consolidate their trust in your competence and that they are in good hands.
- Remember, they are not interested in your personal opinion, they are only interested in your?professional?knowledge that is based as much as possible, on a validated scientific perspective, as well as evidence-based data.
- If you want to understand ethics I suggest reviewing the APAN Code of Ethics. It reveals specific areas of conduct and behaviour that are underpinned by excellence and a commitment to giving your very best when delivering your services.
- Earning your client’s trust by demonstrating a professional attitude through a consistent approach to best practice.
- If you want to communicate that you are reliable and deserving of your client’s trust, this will mean that at times you may see the need to truthfully articulate and demonstrate your values but also your self-discipline.
- While being authentic may mean that you may share your concerns for injustice in the world and acknowledge your commitment to serving society and working toward the greater good, do not lose sight that your client is paying you to concentrate on providing them with value for their money.
- While you may share aspects of your authentic self, this must be conducted in a dignified, warm and professional manner, but also keeping in mind that your client is paying you to stay focused on their treatment.
To demonstrate this, recently Candice Owen was interviewing Tristan Tate. Tristan asked her how she was on a personal level.
While Candice obliged by answering him, he also quickly responded?“Please do your job, let’s start on my interview.”?Your clients are paying you good money to do your job, while they may appreciate knowing the real you and what you stand for, do not take liberties to detract from the prime purpose of their visit – which is to achieve the level of service that will meet their expectations.
This excerpt is from a more in-depth article on Authenticity featured in the winter issue of APJ Journal, set to launch on October 14th. Subscribe now to ensure you receive your copy!
