Using the “Know, Like, Trust Principle” in Social Media
It is a simple fact in business, people will do business with those that they Know, Like & Trust. That is the nature of business today as we are inundated with mass marketing yelling at us from the time we wake up to when we go to sleep. Customers and clients want to feel genuinely connected to the brands and businesses they buy from or work with. How can you reach out and get your target market to know, like and trust you in a crowded social media market?
Back to Basics: What is the “Know, Like & Trust Principle”
The “Know, Like & Trust Principle” (KLT) is the general rule that people want to do business with people that they know, like and trust. As Davis Albrecht writes in his article on the subject, “...you must develop your personal skill set to the point of (1) being known for the high quality of services/products you provide, (2) being approachable and likeable, and (3) being trustworthy.” in other words you can’t be someone who is “...(1) known for shoddy work and cutting corners, (2) self-centered, aloof, obnoxious, arrogant & jerky and (3) you are untrustworthy and known for betrayal.”
KLT is important because people do business with other people, not faceless corporations. In fact one of the many benefits of working with a small business is that you are likely to be working directly with the owner. Hey, that’s one of the advantages of working with a firm like OmniWorx Inc. as opposed to a large design or marketing firm. It’s because you get more personalized service when the provider has more at stake than just a paycheque.
Lets dive a little deeper into each item in this principle and discuss how you can use it to your advantage in your businesses online and in-person marketing tactics
Know
People want to do business with companies and individuals they already know. This is why it is often a challenge to pull a customer away from another company and why referrals are so powerful. This is also the reason companies should be actively marketing and posting on social media, even if they are not actively selling a product directly. The more someone sees your businesses name the more they get to know your business and by extension, you
How can you use the Know principal in social media? As discussed above you should be posting content, either produced by you or shared from a related but not competing source. If you are constantly posting, you continue to show up in your customers social media feeds and you will be constantly telling your customers you exist. If done successfully, this will put you top of mind when the customer is ready to purchase.
It isn’t just enough to be actively posting on social media though, you should also be engaging with other users. Make sure you respond to customer comments where needed and at the very least like the comment as an acknowledgment you saw and appreciated it. Also provide thoughtful comments on and like what your target market posts, what your suppliers post and yes, even what your competitors post. The more you get out into your digital community the more likely people are to remember you when they need your service.
Getting into your community also extends into the real world. Email, pick up the phone, or even walk into a business (post COVID). Reach out to companies and businesses you want to work with, connect with people, not necessarily to sell to them but hear what they struggle with. Hey, maybe you can offer them something that can help. Even if you can’t though, you have made a connection with someone who may not have known you existed prior to the interaction and you may have learned something valuable about the industry you are serving.
Like
This one is pretty easy and self explanatory when it comes to both face to face and social media interactions. Basically, the rule is don’t be an a**hole. People don’t want to work with people who come across as self-centred, aloof, a jerk or arrogant.
When posting, post positive content, post funny content and be yourself. Talk about your content in your brand's voice whatever it may be. Just stay away from controversial topics. You don’t want to be in a situation where someone could take offence to your content. That means you should stay away from posting about politics, religion, money and anything else you wouldn’t talk about on a first date with someone.
Trust
How do you define trust? Tam Thao Pham defined it like this on Quora: “Trust is about the intersection of the past and future. It’s taking the evidence of the past (sometimes your own past and references) and extrapolating that into the future – what can I expect going forward? – and then being able to apply this information within a context of risk. To trust a human being is to be able to anticipate generally how (that person will) behave in most of the future situations in which you might encounter them, and to feel comfort in taking an (often emotional) risk based on that (anticipated behavior).” Trust is a pattern of behaviour that you expect from an individual or brand. How can you help potential customers trust your company?
There are some simple ways that your content, either on social media or on your website can help inspire trust. The first is by sharing positive customer feedback like the post above on social media and on your website. This shares the stories of people who liked your services and makes it easier for a new prospect to trust you out of the gate. The second is to let people know who you are and, more importantly, who you aren’t. Third, offer a satisfaction guarantee. This makes it easier for customers to take a risk on your product, especially if they are buying online without seeing it first. Lastly, make sure you are accessible. Let customers know where and how they can reach you or your support team should they require assistance.
The Know, Like, Trust Principle can be a powerful tool in your marketing kit. Using these principles on your communications can help grow your business and increase sales. We can help you implement these principles in your marketing, reach out to us to see how we can help you.
About the Author - Jack C. Henry
A graduate of OCAD University’s Graphic Design program, Jack blends art with real-world business strategy. The result? Creative solutions that add value to your business. Jack has designed for a wide range of industries including restaurants, retail stores, health care, community organizations and charities. As well as helping companies develop their brand, he creates beautiful marketing materials and signage. More…
About OmniWorx Inc.
OmniWorx Inc. is a boutique design firm based in Scarborough in Toronto’s east end, with an office in Peterborough in the Kawarthas, providing graphic design, branding, marketing services to individuals, local small & mid-sized businesses. More...