Why is Brand Credibility So Important?
How do you define credibility within your brand?
Your brand is more than just your physical appearance and aesthetics; It’s also a reflection of how your values align with and are expressed through your brand’s culture. This includes how you treat your staff, how you engage with customers, and the principles behind your business policies. But how do you build credibility? How can a business integrate it as a core value, implement it as a strategy, or restore it if it's been compromised?
Credibility, the main character.
Credibility is an essential characteristic that every brand must have in order to have more chances to be successful and have a strong relationship with their target audience. Simply put, think of credibility as the perfect balance where words and actions go hand in hand. The definition that the Cambridge dictionary gives is "the fact that someone or something can be believed or trusted."
One thing that’s certain is that it’s hard to trust a brand that says one thing but does another. Don’t be that brand.
From the start, aim to cultivate a brand that aligns with your values. This alignment is important not only for building strong relationships with your team but also for ensuring that the image you present to your audience is consistent with the values your brand upholds internally. Happy teams lead to a happy brand, which in turn drives improvements and increases your chances of business success.
Of course, we are only human. There is a good chance you will encounter potholes, opportunities to learn, and difficult moments, as you develop and grow your brand. Learn from these situations and continue building your path as a brand with a strong foundation of intentionality, credibility and innovation. Everyone makes mistakes, and it's nearly impossible to avoid them entirely. When you do make a mistake, try not to be too hard on yourself. Look for solutions and make intentional changes. This is a journey of learning, not a marathon.
Remember that while the aesthetics of your brand are important, they shouldn't compromise staying true to your brand's essence. If you want to know more about branding trends for 2024–2025, I invite you to read our blog "Brand Trends for 2024–2025.”
Indicators of a credible brand.
1. Your internal culture is positively impacted
A strong internal culture will influence your team’s performance and their perception of your brand. Your values should be consistently aligned in how you interact with both your audience and your team.
Let's make an analogy. If there is a modern and beautiful building that is appreciated by passersby for its aesthetics, but inside, is poorly made and is at risk of falling apart due to poor foundations, would you live there just because of how it looks? Probably not. Similar to this analogy, pay attention to the foundation of your brand! Beauty starts from within and then shows on the outside.
2. Your brand influences your audience
Your credibility will work its own magic with your target audience. By having an intentional brand that offers a good service or product and focuses not only on profits but also on providing quality in an ethical manner, you ensure that your decisions as a brand align with what you preach, leading to the concept of credibility.
By having credibility you are creating a relationship of trust with your target audience. Just like any relationship, you need to preserve it and reinforce trust.
Don’t get me wrong—success as a brand depends on many factors, but credibility is crucial, as is understanding your target audience.
3. Your brand credibility yields results in your sales and business model
If you maintain a good relationship with your target audience and they perceive your brand as credible, they are more likely to choose you over a brand lacking credibility. This, in turn, can lead to increased sales.
As you can see, everything is interconnected. It all begins with your relationship with your team, extends to your connection with your audience, and ultimately influences your performance as a brand, which is reflected in your sales.
There is no magic formula that will make you achieve high sales in just one day. Building a brand as you already know takes time, effort, consistency, and many more things. So, don't despair if you are doing "everything right" but your brand is not super “successful”. Continue to be intentional and let things take their course, having peace of mind that you are doing everything in your power to reach your goals.
How to build and maintain brand credibility.
1. Be honest in the hard times. You will make mistakes. Continue showing up.
Always be honest, especially in the most challenging moments. This will reveal your brand's character, so use situations where you need to deliver uncomfortable truths as an opportunity to demonstrate your brand's integrity. Not everything will be pretty, you will make mistakes, but deal with them, and show up.
2. Do what you say. Say what you do. Be Transparent.
Did you switch suppliers, resulting in a change in the material? Say it. Will the prices of your products and services increase? Communicate it. You don't want to surprise your audience, so ensure your actions align with your statements and communicate any decisions you make clearly. Now, this doesn't mean you need to explain everything in detail or change your business may undergo, but be mindful of what you choose to communicate and what to withhold, as maintaining transparency is crucial.
3. Lead by example. Simple, but very powerful.
Your exemplary behavior will inspire others and strengthen your brand’s credibility. A great way to lead is by example, so be the first to be true to your values and convey that in your brand.
4. Be genuine.
There’s not much to say. Just be genuine.
5. Take care of your team and your target audience.
Nurture your relationships in the most intentional way possible! If you already have the trust of your team and public, then focus on reinforcing and nurturing that trust.
What steps should we take if our brand loses credibility?
If you’ve lost the trust of your target audience, you have a lot of work ahead of you to regain it. Don’t be discouraged; instead, recognize that you’ll need to put significant effort into rebuilding your image and restoring the connection between your brand and the concept of credibility. A hard truth is that, despite your efforts to regain credibility, some clients may no longer see you as an option.
You live and learn.
For example, have you heard about the Wells Fargo case? A quick Google search of the bank's 2016 scandal will reveal a significant surprise. Following the incident, Wells Fargo had to implement Public Relations campaigns to regain the trust of its customers. They never quite gained the trust of the public again.
Speaking of losing credibility, do you have a crisis communication plan?
If your brand faces a major mistake or crisis, do you have a plan in place? You need a communication crisis plan to guide your actions and ensure you convey information effectively. Remember, once a crisis hits, time is critical. The decisions you make and how you communicate them will be crucial to managing the situation.
What’s your main goal/objective when communicating with your target audience?
When you are in the middle of a communication crisis, what do you want to communicate to your target audience? Do you want to explain the situation and give more context, apologize, take corrective actions, or do all of them at the same time? The way you communicate could help defuse the crisis situation or make it worse. Choose your words wisely. Say what you have to say, but remember to be cautious and have empathy.
Some final tips
Do not ignore your audience and minimize their reactions and feelings. Own up to your mistakes and apologize.
If you make a mistake, admit it and be honest. Do not consider lying as a solution to get out of the situation. The worst thing you can do is manipulate information to minimize its impact on your audience. By doing so, you deny them the opportunity to respond in the way they believe is best. Tell the truth and take action.
How can we help with your brand credibility?
MYCO aims to help you achieve your business goals and build brand credibility that resonates with your potential clients and their purchasing power. We also assist in defining the values that will shape a thriving company culture. Our branding design process is tailored to craft your brand’s values and storytelling, providing the best branding solution for your unique business, industry, and target audience.
