4 Questions Can Uncover Insights to Build Trusting Customer Relationships

When consumers purchase something, they also buy into what a brand or business stands for.  Understanding the consumer mindset can create a positive first impression, elevate the customer experience, build trust — and ultimately, earn brand loyalty.

Four questions can uncover insights to strengthen the way people feel about your brand:

  1. What is your brand doing to address issues people care about?
  2. Does your brand make a good, and quick, first impression?
  3. Does your business ask for customer reviews, and respond to customer feedback?
  4. Does your whole organization understand the person behind your target consumer?

Brand Positioning: What is Your Brand Doing to Address Issues People Care About?

Qualitative and Quantitative consumer research evokes feedback from consumers to create a more complete understanding of their values, needs, habits, interests, and feelings. These consumer insights also explain the logic behind the behavior and subconscious emotions that motivate people to make a purchase or love a particular brand.

Nearly nine out of 10 consumers now say authentic and trustworthy content is important when deciding which brands they buy according to a recent study by Stackla, and brand activism now speaks volumes. The 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer found 86% of respondents expect business leaders to put people before profits, and take a stand and do something to help resolve health, economic, community, and societal issues.[/vc_column_text][divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”20″]

What’s Changing?
Consumer Insights
  • 79% of consumers trust corporations that are taking actions to address the COVID-19 crisis and racial equality.
  • 58% of consumers say they will boycott brands that don’t stand for racial equality

Source:  Axios-Harris Poll

What Do Consumers Value?
  • Authenticity
  • Value-based Positioning
  • Local Community Support
  • Diversity
  • Equity
  • Inclusion
  • Environmental Sustainability

Sources: Harvard Business Review & Salesforce Foundation and Axios-Harris Poll

Brand Perception: Does Your Brand Make a Good, and Quick First Impression?

During the pandemic, 75% of consumers tried different brands and adopted new shopping habits according to McKinsey. This change in behavior opened a window of opportunity for brands to be considered by consumers who shop within a particular category.

A strong brand identity, intuitive online shopping experience, and visible in-store safety precautions are essentials to make a great first impression with consumers. Most consumers discover brands online now, and people form opinions within milliseconds according to a study by the Missouri University of Science & Technology. In fact, the average online shopper decides to make a purchase within 10 seconds.  There are also generational differences in the way people discover brands and shop.

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What’s Changing?
Consumer Insights

77% of consumers buy brands that share their values according to Havas Media.

75% of consumers tried a different brand or a new way of shopping during the pandemic according to McKinsey, and 60% of consumers intend to continue buying different brands after the pandemic

What Do Consumers Value?
  • Trusting Relationship/Reliability
  • Great Customer Experience
  • Safe and Convenient Online and In-store Shopping
  • Quality
  • Good Price

Sources: The CMO Survey, sponsored by the American Marketing Association, Duke-Fuqua and Deloitte

Brand Awareness: Does Your Business Ask for Customer Reviews, and Respond to Customer Feedback?

In today’s dynamic marketplace, consumers have a myriad of ways to discover brands and businesses, and the most influential factor in the path to purchase is online customer reviews according to the Northwestern University, Spiegel Research Center. In fact, the average person reads 10 or more consumer reviews before reaching a decision to buy something.

Understanding your customer’s shopping journey can explain when, where, and how to engage consumers. This dive into their journey also provides insights into your target consumer’s personality to develop products, personalize messages and/or offers, to enhance the customer experience.

What’s Changing?
Consumer Insights
  • 84% of consumers trust online reviews by other consumers to make purchasing decisions.
  • Conversion rates escalate 270% with five consumer reviews
  • 5 stars is too good to be true, and a purchase is more likely with a rating in the 4-4.7 range
  • Products with some negative reviews, and verified buyers are viewed as more credible

Source: Northwestern University, Spiegel Research Center

What Do Consumers Value?
  • Price of the Product
  • Average Star Rating
  • Presence of Negative Reviews
  • Number of Reviews

 Source: Northwestern University, Spiegel Research Center

Brand Loyalty: Does Your Whole Organization Understand the Person Behind Your Target Consumer?

Trusting relationships, a great customer experience, quality, and price are consumers’ top priorities according The CMO Survey, sponsored by the American Marketing Association, Duke-Fuqua and Deloitte. And customer-focused companies are 60% more profitable than companies that do not consider consumer insights according to a Deloitte analysis.

When businesses focus on providing a positive customer experience before, during, and after a purchase; they can drive up repeat business, enhance customer loyalty, and improve business growth.  We have created a series of blogs to help socialize consumer insights to inspire collaboration, and a consumer-focused business culture:

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Insights In Marketing is a marketing research firm that delivers in-depth and actionable insights so you can have every confidence your decisions are inspired by the consumer voice. Our Team has decades of client and supplier side research experience, and our marketing expertise spans across various industries and consumer segments.