These last few years have been an interesting roller coaster, especially when it comes to finding new ways to engage with people and get through the “fog of marketing”.

In my personal view, building trust is all about catering to your customers’ needs and wants. The buyer landscape has changed, and there is no right or wrong way to approach a buyer or a prospect; there is only the way they prefer. We need to ensure that we’re in the right place at the right time when they need us and that we’re able to offer a range of different options to suit their needs. Essentially, if clients prefer face-to-face interaction, we need to be available for meetings and physical events; if they prefer a fully digital interaction, we need to provide options throughout the buyer journey - from initial engagement to finalising a purchase and support - without even needing to speak to anybody.

To do this, we need the right data, both internal and external. This is our ‘gold dust’ when it comes to building that trust because it will tell us what our customers really want and what works for them. It will also ensure that everything we put out into the market is relevant and valuable and therefore has the potential to perform better. So, the more data we can get our hands on, the better.

For example, right now, we’re incorporating “smart content” which allows us to offer more relatable and personalised content to our audience, based on their interests and previous behaviour and interaction. This is essential to building up that trust because it ensures that we’re offering the right solution at the right time to the right audience, without wasting their time on something they don’t want or need.