What is Trust?
Even though it is a difficult concept to immediately define, trust is one of the driving factors in all of our interpersonal behavior. Whether it’s getting in the car with a friend or eating food prepared by a stranger, we all ‘trust’ that they have our best interests in mind. Trust is built on a series of learned experiences and sometimes blind trust is not rewarded, but without trust a relationship cannot mature.
As a marketer, understanding how trust is created and nurtured is key. The ability to leverage the trust of the masses allows for the company to utilize that human emotion to their benefit. First, to understand how trust can be used, the marketer must understand how it is formed.
Brain Chemistry
In the brain, the chemical oxytocin is produced and sent to a section known as the caudate nucleus. This area of the brain is in essence a pleasure center. This portion ignites when pleasurable activities ensue, such as love, lust, or excitement. As oxytocin is delivered to the caudate nucleus, an almost light-headed or wobbly sensation consumes the body and leads to the chemical reactions that are so affectionately known as love or trust.
When the caudate nucleus is engaged with something that is intangible, such as a brand, the feeling of trust is created. A series of positive events that have lead to a rush of oxytocin in the brain have formed an emotional bond. This bond between the consumer and the brand is what leads to loyal and profitable customer bases.
Earn It
Trust is not something that can be earned overnight. It is earned over time through a sequence of different actions. Finding what the targeted customer base deems important is the first step in understanding how to gain their continued support. By asking questions and mining information about the personality types, values, and most importantly the demographics psychological functions, the marketer is able to penetrate even deeper into the target population.
Through understanding what moves humans to trust, the marketer then has to consider what will drive his/her potential customer base to action and create a relationship built on trust in the process. But, that is something that can only be known after astute observation and research. In order to know what your clients trust, take the time to ask them. I’m sure you’ll learn more than you ever expected…
