Triggering Trust
Before the great recession, business trust was easier to earn and bestow. Taking a chance on a new vendor or offering your prospect a sweetheart deal was good business and could be fun. There was a stronger connection between gaining a one time buyer and turning him or her into a loyal customer. These days, earning small business trust is harder so knowing the triggering events in your business is ever more critical. So what is a trigger event?
There is that moment in a new relationship when two people, formerly strangers, share an expectation of being together every Saturday night. The new toothbrush in the medicine cabinet … Brunch with the parents … Wandering together into a jewelry store and ending up in front of the diamond rings. Coincidence? No. It’s a trigger event.
Trigger events signify relationship milestones. In terms of prospects and customers, we can locate common triggers in order to predict behavior and offer them what they need when they are ready. Common trigger events include:
• The third sale
• The second problem (resolved to satisfaction)
• The fourth reorder
• The third season
• The second referral
These vary by industry, so you may find a different pattern with your customers. Study your data and nail down typical buying patterns. Begin by defining which products or services:
• New buyers are likely to choose first.
• Encourage the most return purchases.
• Are one-time impulse buys.
• Are most popular with existing customers.
In an age where relationships take longer to build or repair, understanding what triggers business trust and thus customer loyalty is ever more important. Know your customers’ trigger points, focus on building their trust and you will earn their loyalty.
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