Whether you work in the Technology, Entertainment, Food, Finance or the Public Sector, as a marketer you've probably figured out that you are in the business of selling trust. Especially in today's world, where the new normal includes work environments with social distancing, public transport with face masks and restaurants with reduced maximum capacities.
During the first two months of the pandemic in the US, a study from economist at the University of Illinois, Harvard University and the University of Chicago predicted that 100,000 businesses had shut down permanently after not being able to operate for two months. It remains unclear just how vulnerable these businesses already were before lockdown, but it is still an eye watering number to consume and, we can assume that this number will only grow until a COVID-19 vaccine is found.
Speaking to renown photographer Simon Burstall who is based in New York at the epicenter of the American coronavirus, he explained to me that he hadn’t worked for months but was about to take on a commission for a celebrity portrait. I immediately asked how he planned to shoot in a post lockdown New York – was he going to use a super long lens or a drone or would he be reducing the number of assistants on the set? His answer was simple. “I’m not going to change much. They expect a certain kind of photo from me, so if I start changing things too much, I won’t be able to deliver what they expect. My biggest challenge will be how to get that human connection between me and the subject during the shoot with everyone wearing a face mask!”
Such a scenario is representative of how many marketer-client relationships are unfolding in our new era. In Simon’s situation, trust comes into play in several ways:
It is clear that trust plays huge role in the consumer decision making process today. Avira commissioned a study of over 2,000 Americans through Opinion Matters, asking their opinions on the COVID-19 Track and Trace apps. One of the key stats surprised us greatly: less than 30% of the Americans interviewed said that they would download any of the apps. Worryingly, the apps would need a 60% uptake for the technology to work in a useful way. When probed further, the #1 reason why people would refuse to use the app was because of privacy concerns. Generally speaking, Americans didn’t really trust the Government, Big Tech or even educational institutions with their data – even in such a critical moment.
So much has happened in recent times to destroy the trust that is the foundation not only of good business but also a functioning society. The actions of those that once had our complete trust such as the media, Government and our favourite social media brands have eroded to the point where – even in the middle of a pandemic – people don’t trust the institutions they should to be able to count on to beat the COVID-19 virus.
At Avira, we know that trust must exist for a person to download and use any of our products. Software, particularly security software, can be completely invisible to the user if they are not technically minded. It is so important to us that a customer feels rewarded by sticking with us. To earn and nurture that trust, here are a few things we do:
In 2020, as people around the world struggle with their governments, Big Tech, social media and – simply put – each other, we’re all looking for a little trust. While it takes years to build and mere seconds to break, it’s on the shoulders of marketers to put trust at the cornerstone of their marketing strategy. Only then will the brands we serve thrive in our new world.