Win the day through authenticity and trust
By: Jim Katzaman - Get Out Of Debt
Tags: Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Twitter, Branding, Social Media

A brand is authentic if it doesn’t have to think too hard about what it wants to say. Truth is easy. Shading facts takes effort — and it shows.

Put that way, a brand sounds like it’s the company that does the talking when instead there are people running the show. It’s how those in charge sound like real persons and not robots that gives an otherwise impersonal corporation a personality — its authenticity.

A digital marketing trainer and an executive director at Sparks Corporates, Janet Machuka puts authenticity at the forefront as she works with clients to raise their social media game.

She talked with digital marketing expert Madalyn Sklar about how everyone can improve brand authenticity and assure trusting relationships with consumers and peers alike.

“A brand is authentic if it’s reliable, honest, dependable, and true in communications and operations,” Machuka said. “Companies must be real and genuine on how they present who they are and what they do or offer.”

For online communication, she is a big fan of the blue bird.

“Twitter is great for customer service,” Machuka said. “Being real, genuine, transparent and honest in communication even during a crisis makes you trust-able. Authenticity adds exactly this to your communication on Twitter at all times.

“The platform gives you the ability to engage audiences in conversations and give relevant responses to them,” she said.

That includes always being professional in what you do and say.

“Going away from societal qualities to share ‘profanity or obscene content’ that doesn’t meet the standards of Twitter or the community at large won’t make you authentic, but rather a jerk,” Machuka said.

Take the high road

Abiding by respectful standards is the key.

“Brands can increase their authenticity,” Sklar said. “Be consistent with messaging through honesty and transparency. Stay true to your mission and values, and deliver quality content.”

Marketing is all about know, like and trust. Being authentic is a shortcut to all three.

Machuka noted several characteristics of being authentic:

Make more sales: People buy from real people.

Have more referrals.

Have meaningful networks.

Be more engaged. No one wants to have a “dead presence” on social media.

Become an authority in your niche: You’re trusted as an authentic brand.

Present itself with its real personality and voice.

“Avoid unnecessary trolls and negative feedback,” Machuka said. “It is easier to be you than being what you’re not.”

The genuineness will percolate through to consumers.

“People like brands that are real and relatable,” Sklar said. “Once people start to like you, you’re able to begin building trust, which is key to gaining loyal customers.”

A key measure of authenticity is the quantity and quality of engagements. You want a brand that’s willing and eager to respond with solutions that address its audience’s pain points.

Machuka relies on these tips to gauge authenticity:

Credibility: Have you accomplished your value promise? Are you honest?

Continuity: Have you survived all times and trends?

Impact: Have you added meaning to people’s lives? Do you connect people with their real selves?

Put meaning behind words

“Authentic brands have more eyeballs, impressions, engagements, higher sales, and their growth is steady and tremendous,” Machuka said.

“Practice all factors to build your authenticity such as being transparent, real, genuine and building meaningful networks,” she said. “Then you will scale up your customer base, create the right referrals and network, which will be a great contribution to your return on investment.”

Not all measurements are objective.

“Unlike stats such as growth, there isn’t a graph that’ll tell you how authentic your brand is,” Sklar said. “If you want to know what people think of you, it never hurts to ask. Seek honest feedback from your audience so you can see your brand through their eyes.”

Be transparent with your audience by being available and writing as you speak. Machuka gave authenticity fundamentals:

Admit wrongs: Don’t delete negative comments from your audience. Acknowledge then apologize without necessarily being rude.

Say the way it is: Be true and open. If you don’t know what you’re being asked, don’t respond arrogantly. Just say you need help.

Share your progress: Bring to light a bit of “the behind the scenes.”

Credit content where necessary.

Respond publicly to audiences’ complaints about your services, concerns and questions.

Don’t go incognito on social media platforms.

“If you want to be more transparent with your audience, be open and honest with them,” Sklar said. “Did something go wrong? Have you struggled with something? Tell them. It shows you’re human and makes you more relatable.

“A great way to be transparent with your audience on Twitter is with video,” she said. “You cannot hide behind a video tweet. Give it a try.”

Do it yourself

Writing your own content gives you practice by writing in your special voice. Someone else writing for you will make you sound like everyone else.

“It’s easier to share your personality than when someone writes for you,” Machuka said. “That helps you express your own voice. By writing your own content, you can deliver value to your audience.

“Everyone has a unique way of communicating to their audiences,” she said. “Create your own content, and share it. Learning how your audience consumes content happens when you express yourself in your own way.”

That’s not to say content has to be all you all the time.

“You can outsource some content,” Sklar said. “Someone who understands your brand’s values and voice can step into that role and help with content.”

Content personalization adds to authenticity if you back it up with facts and attribution. You can endlessly talk, but it won’t mean a thing if you don’t have credibility.

“You’re human, existing and real,” Machuka said. “People want to feel connected to a person and not a robot. Personalizing your content helps your audience know that you are human just like them.

“You’ll recognize people by names,” she said. “It feels great when you know you’re being addressed as an individual by a brand rather than lost in a group. A brand’s audience feels valued when identified by their names.”

Tell heartfelt stories

The next phase is connecting through feelings.

“Emotions play a major role in building an authentic brand,” Machuka said. “You can show care, feeling or emotion by embracing the art of emotional storytelling that will foster a personal connection.

“Then ask questions,” she said. “Questions give people a chance to share their opinions, experiences and stories, depending on the approach. Engage and respond to other people’s conversations so they can know you’re real.”

Whenever possible, be a name dropper.

“Content personalization is just one way to show you’re paying attention to your audience and that you care about them,” Sklar said. “You want to create content that’s relevant to their interests and needs if you want to keep them coming back for more.

“I always go out of my way to address people by name in my tweets,” she said. “It’s super important to show you are listening.”

Responding to a threat on authenticity is much like crisis management. Be sure of your facts and respond. Don’t rush, and be correct. Don’t let criticism fester. Address any problem, and come back with a solution.

“Be calm, and try to be empathetic to the person you’re responding to,” Machuka said. “Acknowledge the wrong. Give an assurance to rectify it.”

Staying positive amid turmoil will bring great benefits.

“Never react with anger or negative remarks,” Sklar said. “Always be respectful because what you say is a direct reflection of your brand.”

Ultimately, Machuka said, successful brands are based on authenticity, drawn from real achievements, real strengths and real emotions that are alive.

About The Author

Jim Katzaman is a manager at Largo Financial Services and worked in public affairs for the Air Force and federal government. You can connect with him on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.