Do you believe that you own your buying decisions? That you are entirely immune to all the marketing tricks?

We only buy from people that we:

• Know
• Trust
• Like

Brands used to spend all their money on the spots in the primetime and billboards along the highways. That time is gone.

Nowadays, most money flows into online marketing, which is all about this triad: know – trust – like.

We buy from people we know

First, let´s make something clear. There is a difference between showing known faces and creating familiarity. It makes sense for a coffee brand to hire Brad Pitt to drink their coffee in their commercial. People certainly know Brad Pitt. But Brad costs a lot of money. Brad costs so much that not even a coffee giant like DeLonghi can afford to hire him for long-term cooperation.

The brand paid a gross amount of money for a commercial that nobody will remember next year. But if it can make customers feel like they know them, it will sell with a considerably smaller budget. Because knowing somebody leads to trust—the second item on our list.

The customer must feel they know you like they know their best friend. They want to know your values, language, family, and daily routine.

And how exactly are you going to do that?

Faces on social media

It probably comes as no surprise that social media create a huge advantage in this phase of the marketing process. Brands show how they make the product. They showcase the faces of their team and post likable photos of their offices. Entrepreneurs, politicians, influencers, and brands use social media to share their values. They share well-crafted tweets, the content of their lunch, and their kids´ school successes. But watch out.

You don´t want them to know the very real you, do you?

Ordinary people build their personal brands on social media without knowing it. I guess you are doing it already. We post only our best moments on Instagram and put our best make-up on when we want to film a seemingly random Tik Tok video. Also, the tweets that seem like a sudden idea are being crafted for hours.

And mothers tend to depress each other with the content on their Facebook walls. We may have had a breakdown in the morning from the constant lack of sleep. But we won´t post it on Facebook. We will share our beautiful family photos with hearts and stars instead. 

Bear that in mind before you succumb to depression caused by the other perfect mothers around you.

But first, bear in mind to think carefully about your personal brand anytime you post something on social media. A skilful marketer builds their image systematically. They have a clear vision. They know how they want to be seen. Only posts that agree with this vision appear on their profile.

That is how we build the brand. By being personal. By sharing our lives. But we must step carefully and think about every photo and every post.

Writing a blog

A blog is a great way to build the feeling that they know you. You can write it yourself or hire a professional to write it for you. But they must be able to write it as you would have. A good copywriter can do that.

And what is your blog supposed to be about? You can let your client see behind the scenes. Introduce your team. And make a personal remark from time to time. That remark will plant a seed in your customer´s subconscious. And a feeling that they know you will grow out of it.

In this article you learn how to improve your copywriting skills.

Videos

How do you build trust with videos? You can no longer film a video with spoken words and polished pictures. You have to show your face. The person behind the brand must put their skin in the game. Well, their face in the picture in this case. At least for a moment. You can hire a professional to write your script, but you must be seen.

What are your values?

You may want to keep your political and spiritual views to yourself. Maybe you worry that they will damage your brand. Maybe in some cases, they will. For example, if you are a gun dealer in Texas, you don´t have to shout out that you are a fervent Democrat voter. 

Well, you can always follow Starbucks´ strategy. Openly declare that you fully support the Black Lives Matter movement and still use African kids and their child labour to harvest your coffee beans. But it might backfire.

In the 1930s, the big industrial businesses could support any regime they wanted, then change their support and remain anonymous. But not anymore. Nowadays, people want to know what your brand stands for. What do the people behind the brand stand for.

Would you be so kind as to give me your email address?

A maiden´s bridal wreath used to be her most valuable possession. Today it is her email. Brands are breaking their backs over getting your email address. They write free ebooks, shoot webinars, and offer gifts – all for your email. As an entrepreneur, you should do it, too, because that is how you build relationships with your clients.

By sending emails, you remind them that you exist. You can address them with their first name in the subject line. Ask their opinions. 

If you do it right, the customer opens and reads your email. And if they read your emails regularly, they feel like they know you. You are in their inbox.

Provide any information you can

I strongly advise my clients to place thorough information about themselves on their contact pages. You have to show your brand´s address. The best way to do it is to include a little map and a Google Maps link. Include your telephone number and a friendly smiling photo of you. Because what do you want to achieve by all this? You have to gain their trust. And more about that next time.

And what about you?

Has it ever happened to you? Did you feel like you knew them, which made you spend money? Even though their blog and social media profile were all, you had?

If your answer is a straight “no,” I encourage you to think twice. I can name two examples, and I will provide them in the following article. Yes, I know many of my own tricks. That does not make me immune to them.