The Essential Role of Content in Organizational Trust

By Conrad Winter, Content and Copy Writer for the Logistics Industry

Trust was on the menu at the TMSA Executive Summit in Chicago October 11^th – 12^th. It’s a meaty topic in a town that loves a good steak.

Cory Scheer, keynote speaker and co-author of the National Survey on Brand and Trust spoke about using empirical evidence to deepen organizational trust. There were nuggets. Many actually. One was that leaders assume their employees trust them way more than they do.

I suspect that leaders assume prospects and clients trust them way more than they actually do, too l.

That got me thinking about the role communication plays in trust. What are the communication tools that build and maintain trust for organizations in the transportation and logistics space?

Here are seven areas where it’s important to be trusted when you want to win – and keep – someone’s business and the communications tools for each one:

1. Customers Need to Trust You’re the One Doing the Actual Work

This one is a little tricky because its not that you can never work with outside parties, but you have to be honest about when and where you are. 3PLs work with outside carriers by definition. Companies work with vendors for marketing and sales support often. Outsourced content writing – like the service I provide – is a perfect example. To assure clients you’re the one that’s doing the actual work, it’s not important to be able to prove your team is all permanent staff. The point is that whether the work is done in-house or by a third-party, you are in charge of the output and the team working is accountable, coordinated, and cohesive.

So. how do you do that? Transparency. Through web copy, case studies and client stories, you can demonstrate how your team and the carriers you hire work together. You can also bring the principles, players and stalwarts of your company to the forefront to put a face to your company. Here are three ways:

• Highlight your leadership in your website’s about section.
• Make sure your subject matter experts (SMEs) are posting on your company website. Admittedly, this is not always that easy. Here are my tips for getting coworkers to contribute to the company blog. They include ghostwriting their blog posts for them, which means someone else writes for them but your SME still shows up as the author.
• Encourage SMEs to post on social media. If you want to learn the power of engaging employees’ as social media influencers, check out the Your People Are Your Brand slide deck from Samantha Jones' 2024 ELEVATE session and available to TMSA members. (One more great reason to join)

2. They Need to Know Your Rates, Fees and Pricing Are Fair

Transparency, once again, is key here. I’m not necessarily talking about having a comprehensive rate sheet that goes into great detail. Nor am I talking about meeting or beating competitors’ pricing because pricing is relative. Your rates are your rates. You just need to be upfront about them and make a case for the value you provide and why your prices are thoughtful and justified.

This is a job for your communications team. By effectively marketing the skill and expertise your company provides, you can demonstrate your value.

Where’s the trust here? When you know what your services are worth, you can articulate the reasons why your prices are what they are. When you are transparent about that, , you are being honest and authentic. People appreciate that.

You can reinforce the value of your services and demonstrate your company’s differentiators by hosting client success stories, testimonials, and process pages on your website and social media pages.

3. They Need to Know the Work You’re Doing Will Work

Making wild claims may garner attention, but it is no way to build trust. Claims need to be substantiated.

Proof of performance in the form of case studies is a way to show companies what’s possible in the most honest way. It’s worth it for sales teams to always be looking for compelling client stories to tell during engagements. (Collect those quotes and KPIs!)

Case studies are invaluable for their role in helping prospects visualize what success will look like for them. They inspire confidence. They get them to trust the results.

4. They Have to Know You’re Legitimate

This is a basic one. It happens at the beginning of a relationship – or more likely before you even establish a relationship with a prospect. It has to do with the most basic question of all: Who is this company?

Prospects need a quick and satisfactory answer to who your company is when they see your LinkedIn or website. If if is challenging too figure this out, or what you put out into the world does not align with who you are, it can lead to distrust…or no relationship at all.

People are impatient. Here are a few ways to provide quick credentials on your site:

• Client logos
• Logos of the trade associations you belong to
• Client testimonials
• Compelling performance stats

Proving your legitimacy is also the job of your brand messaging. Is the “brand language” they read on your site and on LinkedIn distinctive, compelling and believable? Is it consistent across media – including your sales decks? This is a big one because when things don’t align it can inject a tinge of doubt.

5. They Need to Know That You Know What You’re Talking About

Smart people hire people who are smarter than themselves. They hire specialists who know information they don’t so their organizations can perform at the highest levels.

You are an expert in your field. It is a fact. Prospects need to know this and they need to be regularly reassured of this. Sharing what you know isn't tooting your own horn. In fact, it's generous and often appreciated.

 This is the job of your content marketing. How are you showcasing your expertise? Are you blogging regularly and sharing your insights? Are you producing studies and white papers on subjects your clients and prospects need to succeed?

Make sharing your thought leadership a habit.

6. They Need Assurance That They Are Your Priority

It’s human nature. People like to be remembered and need to feel acknowledged. Assuring a client or prospect they are a priority is more about not neglecting them.

Neglect is an insidious thing. Neglect a prospect or a client and they start to wonder about you. That wonder leads to cynicism, doubt and mistrust. The irony is that neglect is almost always unintentional and based in miscommunication. Hence the crucial role of communication in nipping the neglect cycle in the bud.

Touch-in with current clients, dormant clients and someday-clients. When you’re producing valuable content like insightful articles, research results or case studies, you’ll have a natural reason to reach out to say “just thinking of you.” Having something to reach out about makes connecting regularly easier.

7. They Need to Know You’re Okay

Sales cycles can last an extremely long time in some cases. But sometimes going the distance just seems like a requisite when you want to win the big one.

Do you have the tools in place to remain top of mind until the opportunity to hire you finally happens? If they haven’t heard from you, they may start to wonder if you care. If they miss seeing you in the media, they may start to wonder if you’re still out there.

It’s worth it to maintain your presence in social media and keep your content machine cranking. Periodic newsletters detailing what your organization is up to and regular reach-outs to offer new and exciting content you’ve produced will remind prospects that you’re ready when they are. Maintaining a continuous and high-quality content machine isn’t easy; your ability to do it speaks volumes about you when it comes to trust.

Communicate Trust

Trust is such an incredibly valuable asset in business. They talk about the “speed of trust” and how much faster and better organizations perform when trust levels are high. On a personal level, to be trusted by another is truly one of life’s greatest rewards.

There are many factors that lead to trusting relationships. One thing is for certain, the tools of communication are important keys.