Building Online Trust

A BIG follower count looks impressive. But followers don’t pay the bills 🤷🏻♀️ High numbers ≠ revenue. Why? Because followers don’t always translate to trust. That’s the difference between having an audience or a community. An AUDIENCE listens. But they’re passive. They consume your content and move on. A COMMUNITY? They engage. They connect. They show up for you. Audiences might watch from the sidelines. Communities take action. They invest. They stick around. And here’s the key difference: Communities are built on shared values, not just content. If you’re struggling to monetise, it might not be about growing your follower count. It’s about deepening your relationships. So, how do you build a community on LinkedIn? 1. Start conversations, not monologues. Ask questions. Invite opinions. Respond to comments with thought and care. 2. Be authentic. Share your wins and your challenges. Vulnerability creates connection. 3. Engage outside your posts. Comment on other people’s content. Join relevant discussions. Be present where your audience is. 4. Create shared value. Offer insights, solve problems, and share ideas that help your network grow. 5. Highlight others. Celebrate their wins. Share their content. Show that you care about their journey. 6. Be consistent. Communities thrive on trust, and trust is built by showing up regularly over time. 7. Take it offline. Meetups, coffee chats, or webinars. Bring your LinkedIn network into real-life connections. A handshake or face-to-face conversation builds bonds no algorithm can replicate. Communities aren’t built overnight. They grow when you focus on connection over attention. Because people don’t just buy products or services. They buy trust. They buy relationships. When you build a community, you don’t just have followers. You have advocates. Supporters. Friends. That’s the real game-changer. PS: Do you have an audience or a community?

How to Leverage User-Generated Content (UGC) Introduction: User-generated content (UGC) helps brands connect authentically with audiences, as people trust peer recommendations over ads. Showcasing real user experiences builds credibility, strengthens community bonds, and turns customers into advocates, driving organic growth and engagement. Key Concepts -Social Proof: UGC demonstrates trust and recommendations, often more effective than ads. -Authenticity: Real customer content fosters trust as genuine endorsements. -Community Engagement: UGC encourages customer connection and sharing. -Content Variety: UGC provides diverse, reusable content for multiple channels. Challenges in Implementing UGC -Quality Control: Curating UGC for brand alignment can be challenging. -Permissions: Obtain creator permission to avoid legal issues. -Negative Feedback: Be prepared to manage unfavorable UGC without harming your reputation. -Incentivizing Participation: Encourage customers to share experiences through incentives. Strategies & Solutions To gather and utilize user-generated content (UGC), brands can create hashtag campaigns, run contests for product photos, and showcase testimonials on social media for credibility. Highlighting curated UGC demonstrates real product use, while repurposing it in emails and ads maximizes reach. Engaging with creators by tagging and sharing their posts strengthens connections and encourages more sharing. Benefits of Leveraging UGC User-generated content (UGC) enhances credibility and trust by showcasing authentic customer experiences, leading to higher conversion rates. It fosters brand engagement and loyalty while being cost-effective, filling content calendars without high expenses. UGC also improves SEO by generating relevant content that boosts discoverability through branded hashtags and reviews. Insights for Effective UGC Campaigns To maximize user-generated content (UGC), prioritize authenticity by encouraging customers to share genuine experiences instead of scripted or promotional ones. Monitor UGC performance by tracking metrics like engagement and conversions to understand what resonates with your audience. Additionally, create a streamlined content submission process with direct upload links or clear instructions to make it easy for users to share their content. Conclusion: User-generated content (UGC) builds social proof, fosters trust, and engages communities. By incorporating UGC into your marketing strategy, you transform customers into brand advocates, enhancing reach and connections. Utilizing hashtag campaigns, reviews, contests, and social media features encourages sharing experiences and cultivates a loyal community that spreads your brand's message organically. #UGCmarketing #brandUGC #contentstrategy #digitalmarketing #usergeneratedcontent #UGCstrategy #brandengagement #socialmediastrategy #contentcreation #UGCcommunity

20 years ago, transparency was seen as a risk. Today, it's become the strongest currency in building customer trust. Take ANITA DONGRE's brand- Grassroots. By being completely transparent about their: > Organic fabric sourcing > Fair wage practices > Sustainable production methods  They've built unprecedented customer loyalty. 65% of shoppers now switch brands based on supply chain transparency (FMI- The Food Industry Association Report, 2024) Transparency has become a cornerstone for fostering customer loyalty, and brands like Anita Dongre’s Grassroots are setting a powerful example. By openly sharing their methods and practices, they build trust with consumers who prioritize honesty and ethical sourcing. Today's customers invest in values, caring about product origins, makers, environmental impact, and fair labor. But here's what most brands miss: transparency isn't just about sharing information—it's about building trust. With over 20+ years in retailing across India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, I’ve learned that: > Being transparent about challenges, processes, and mistakes turns customers into trusted partners who understand our value and commitment. > The future belongs to brands brave enough to open their books and share their stories. Because in today's connected world, the most valuable thing we can offer isn't just quality products—it's authentic transparency. What transparency practices would you like to see more brands adopt? #RetailStrategy #CustomerTrust

Just got off a call with a founder who's sent 1,000+ cold emails with ZERO responses... Let me ask you something... Have you ever crafted what you thought was the perfect outreach message, only to be met with complete silence? One of my clients (a SaaS founder) just shared their frustrating experience that might sound familiar... They spent weeks perfecting their message, researching prospects, and personalizing every email. The result? Radio silence. Zero responses. Zero meetings. Zero opportunities. And here's what really hurts... Their competitor, with an inferior product, was landing meetings left and right with the same prospects. After analyzing thousands of outreach campaigns, I’ve discovered that trust isn't built through volume - it's built through three specific elements that buyers actually care about. Here are the 3 trust drivers that actually get decision-makers to reply: 1) Social Proof That Matters Stop leading with generic logos. I've found buyers instantly engage when you share specific results from companies in their exact industry. They need to see themselves in your success stories. ✅ POWER MOVE:  Reference a similar company's specific metrics improvement (e.g., "We helped Company X increase their conversion rate by 47% in 60 days") 2) Thought Leadership Signals Your prospects are drowning in "experts." I've tested this extensively - buyers respond when you demonstrate deep industry knowledge through specific insights about their business challenges. ✅POWER MOVE: Share a unique observation about their market position or recent company changes that others missed. 3) Micro-Deliverables This is the game-changer most miss. I've seen response rates triple when founders offer immediate value before asking for anything in return. ✅POWER MOVE: Provide a quick competitive analysis or specific growth opportunity they can implement today, regardless of whether they reply. The data is clear: 89% of cold outreach fails because it focuses on what YOU want instead of what THEY need. These aren't just theories - I've watched these exact strategies transform response rates from 2% to 20%+ across hundreds of campaigns. Here's the real question: How many of these trust drivers are you actually incorporating in your outreach right now? #ColdOutreach #B2BSales #TrustBasedSelling #OutboundMarketing #SalesStrategy

If you over-curate & overthink your personal brand to perfection, your engagement will be dead! You see them everywhere—polished, poised, and perfectly positioned personal brands. Yet, their engagement is flat. Their audience? Passive. This is the"Perfect Persona" Effect—where people curate an online brand so flawlessly that it becomes unrelatable. And science backs this up. 📌 A study from Harvard Business Review found that leaders who share their struggles increase trust by 66% compared to those who only share polished success. 📌 Social psychologist Dr. Elliot Aronson’s "Pratfall Effect" proves that people perceive those who show vulnerability as more likable than those who appear perfect. The brands that win aren’t the ones that look flawless. They’re the ones that feel real. This is how we work this out with SackBerry clients: 1. Show the process, not just the results. ❌ “We grew our business 10x in a year!” ✅ “We struggled for months with zero sales—here’s what finally worked.” People relate to struggles, lessons, and real journeys. Share the how, not just the highlight. 2. Write like you talk. The easiest way to sound human? Read your post out loud. If you wouldn’t say it in a conversation, rewrite it. 3. Share your unpopular opinions. The fastest way to stand out isn’t to blend in. Take a stance. Challenge industry clichés. Say what others won’t. 4. Use the “3-Post Rule” to create trust. Your content should rotate between these formats: A personal story (human connection) An actionable insight (expert credibility) A polarizing take (sparks discussion) 5. Don’t fear the “mess.” -Not every post needs to be perfect. - Test new ideas. - Share drafts. - Build in public. People love watching something unfold in real time. So, tell me—what’s one thing you wish more people shared online? #PersonalBranding #Authenticity #BuildingInPublic #ContentMarketing

When creating tailored marketing campaigns, handling data privacy and personalization can be tricky. Why? Because we have to respect people's data. It's easy to think, "The more data, the better!" But that's dangerous because it can lead to personalization, where people feel they're being watched. Think about those ads that follow you around the internet after you've browsed a product. Annoying, right? Well, that's what happens when personalization goes wrong. We need to shift our thinking. It's not just about what we can do with data but what we should do. It's about building trust, not destroying it. In my experience, ethical personalization starts with transparency. 👉🏾Be clear about what data you're collecting and why. 👉🏾Give people control over their information. 👉🏾Make it easy for them to opt out. It's also about providing real value. Do not try to trick people into buying something. It should enhance their experience and make their lives easier. For example, think about a streaming service that suggests movies you might like based on your viewing history. That's helpful. That's valuable. Or consider an e-commerce site that remembers your shipping address and payment information. That saves you time. That's a good use of personalization. At the end of the day, we need to create personalized experiences that are both effective and respectful. #marketingstrategy #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration

Forget everything you think you know about “sales.” Today, the biggest brands? They’re not just pushing products. They’re building communities around them. Here’s how they’re doing it: 1. COMMUNITY FIRST, SALES SECOND → Add value, and sales will follow. → Think forums. Discords. IG Lives. → Places where your audience can actually connect. → Not just with you, but with each other. → Build a space that people want to return to. 2. SERVE YOUR SUPERFANS → Every brand has them. → They’re your superfans. → They’re the ones who hype you unprompted. → They post about you. They tell their friends. → Treat them like gold. They’re your biggest asset. 3. ACTIVELY LISTEN & ITERATE → Your community wants to feel heard. → They want their feedback to matter. → Use it to inform product updates. → Let it guide your content direction. → Take their pulse, and show you’re listening. Want loyal customers? Build a community that feels like home. What brands are killing this rn? 👇 _ 👋 I’m Jolyon Varley, co-founder of OK COOL, strategic and creative partners to the hottest brands on the planet. I drop insights on culture and entrepreneurship every day at 8:30am EST 🔔

Why is transparent communication treated like a crisis management strategy when it's actually the foundation of effective everyday leadership?? Businesses have had a tough time over the past few years, and one thing I have noticed is that there is a lot more communication between leaders and teams when faced with unexpected challenges. In tough times, leaders are far more inclined to keep their teams in the loop, give clear directions, and offer reassurance. But WHY does it take a crisis for these crucial behaviors to emerge? As far as I can see, the main barriers to everyday transparent communication are: 😧 Insecurity and fear of negative reactions ⚒️ Lack of skills and understanding ℹ️ Lack of information at mid-manager level Leaders don't always recognize the long-term benefits of transparent communication in maintaining trust and engagement, so they don't always try to remove these barriers. Overcoming these challenges requires a combination of 🤓 Self-awareness 🎓 Professional development 🤝 Organizational support Effective communication doesn't mean wearing ourselves thin from our efforts. It DOES mean adopting a lean, honest and empathetic approach to communication that focuses on delivering essential information concisely and effectively. There's always room to improve! Remember, great leadership results from reflection, feedback and continuous self-improvement! #transparentcommunication #communciation #leadershipskills #leadershipdevelopment #leadership #continuouslearning #learninganddevelopment

Here's the new rule of GTM for 2025: it's about about TRUST not DISTRACTION. In 2024 and earlier, most companies were STILL playing the volume game: More cold emails More ads More noise But here's what I learned building partner programs at WeWork and Amex: 1. Identify Trusted Advocates Customers are more likely to trust recommendations from voices they already know and respect. Who influences our target audience? Who already has their attention and trust? These could be industry leaders, complementary solution providers, or niche communities. Build partnerships with those who already have a strong connection to your ideal customers. 2. Collaborate to Add Value, Not Noise Instead of interrupting your audience with another cold email or ad, collaborate with partners to create meaningful, value-driven touch points. - Co-host a webinar addressing a shared customer pain point. - Develop a joint white paper showcasing both brands’ expertise. - Offer bundled solutions that make life easier for the customer. 3. Leverage Existing Trust to Open Doors Partners are amplifiers AND bridges. They help you cross the “river of distraction” and reach customers without the noise. A well-placed introduction or co-branded recommendation carries far more weight than another outbound message. 4. Measure the Shift from Interruption to Influence If trust-building is your new GTM focus, your success metrics need to change too. Track things like: - Partner-Sourced Leads: Leads generated through trusted partner referrals. - Engagement Rates: How customers interact with co-created content or campaigns. - Pipeline Velocity: How quickly partner-driven deals progress compared to direct sales efforts. Breaking through the noise requires genuine relationships. It's no longer about whose voice is the loudest, it’s whose voice your audience already trusts. The future isn't about interruption and distraction. It's about trust.

In today’s landscape, selling isn’t about pushing your product; it’s about creating trust and offering value that speaks for itself. And good content is invaluable here. Why? Think about it – engagement with content takes place before any sales conversation even begins. 💡 47% of B2B buyers will engage with three to five pieces of content before they’re open to a sales conversation. 💡 And 4 in 10 will review multiple pieces before they consider reaching out to you. If you’re a founder, sales leader, or marketer, follow this strategy – focus on sharing insights, not just updates about your own brand. So instead of only content pieces like: ➡️ “Our team attended this event” ➡️ “This is what we have been up to.” Try something like ✅ “Here’s how we approached a complex project”  ✅ “5 lessons we learned from listening to our customers.” Shift to content that informs and engages your audience. Over time, you’ll notice the impact – warmer leads, quicker sales, and a brand presence that’s already done half the selling. And that’s what we call social selling! It’s about working smarter, not pushing harder! Have you tried social selling for your brand? If so, tell us what strategy worked for you. #content #sales