Once upon a time, all was well with the world.

Once upon a time, tech start-ups talked about their “burn rates” a lot, as in, “How much money will we flame through before we get the next big round of funding?” Some of them had bubbled glass in offices for people who’d never completed the development of the product being funded. Delicious lunches and indoor soccer were not out of the question. Then the tech bust hit  around 2000, for many start-ups signifying the beginning of… The End.

Fast forward to now. We’re kind of deep in the latest recession, a Great One to be sure. Oh, perhaps we’re swimming toward the surface now. But will business be the same as it was before the fall? Or is RESHAPING a more accurate term for what’s ahead than RECOVERY alone?

Well, not ALL is not all fog and mystery. In a time when vSA staff is asked more days than not what WE see ahead, we’re happy to talk about the reshaping (and that touch of recovery) that we, as marketers in the thick of it, are party to…

•   Businesses moving forward with cautious optimism. Maybe not happy-ever-after-times, but better times are coming. Whether, in the lingo of economists, it’s V-shaped (quick), U-shaped (gradual) or W-shaped (another dip ahead) is unknown. However, we’ve likely hit bottom and are on the way back, however gradually, to prosperity.

•   Marketers using the Web. We’re seeing a major surge of Web-related business coming in the door. Why not? People are going online to reach prospects quickly and efficiently. Whether creating an online catalog, interacting with customers or getting your Web site into Web 2.0 or beyond, it’s a smart place to start.

•   Worn-out ways of doing business… flying out the window. Businesses are scrutinizing everything. Are the salespeople delivering the right message? Is the company even selling through the right channels? Does print advertising work at ALL for this company? Should the company focus on its stronger offerings and (gulp) scrap other products? Tough times create tough questions – as they should. We’ll continue to see seismic shifts in businesses – from big mergers to dropped lines and brands, and even to more door closings – as well as hot new companies popping up like mushrooms.

•   Speaking in an authentic voice to build relationships. In a rough environment, trust rules. Savvy marketers are building relationships with the people they need most. They’re using public relations, social marketing, sales conversion programs, and customized grassroots outreach.

•   Executives, coming out of their back-office meetings to communicate new direction. And THAT is good news. Direction, after all, suggests movement. Reshaping, too.

Real trust is hard to find.

Even disregarding the in-your-face reality that current economic instability was caused in part by shoddy business practices in the lending and investment markets, marketers during this or any recovery need to pay heed to the one factor more likely than any other to influence a prospect to become a customer.

Not price – it’s trust.

How the heck do you build trust, you may ask? In two words, Get Real. Everybody else is as tired as you are of being fooled again, and again.

How to Get Real and Earn Trust, genuinely.

•    Introducing a product or service? Don’t jump the gun. All too often, companies announce a new product… and it’s not ready when they’ve said it will be. You look foolish at best, incompetent at worst.
•    Provide valuable information. Yup, it can be hard work to say anything that hasn’t been said a zillion times. Every marketer knows this. (Hey, look, I’m writing about TRUST for heaven’s sake – not original for sure, but I believe it’s timely.) Consider some straight talk that’s not a pitch. Gasp. It can be powerful stuff. Using techniques that can include PR, newsletters, informative CDs, the Web, and more lets you position your company as an industry expert. It’s a great way – a REAL way – to build trust among customers and prospects.
•    Keep at it. Hey, don’t give up! It takes time to build trust. Reach out to the same audiences again and again. Keep the messages consistent – if you appear to be inconsistent, customers won’t trust you.
•    Consider testimonials. Real confirmation that others have delighted in your offerings is a confidence-builder for prospects.
•    Listen to your customers. If you survey them, let them know you’ve heard. If they have a concern, address it. If they request technical support, make sure that it is good and that it is prompt. Again, hard work for real results.
•    Know your market. The more you know about your customer’s business, the more that customer can rely on you for solid solutions.
•    Please advise. Whenever you can, use a consultative approach to sales and marketing. That is, inform and advise more than you push the sale. After all, products and services as good as yours practically sell themselves… okay, okay, maybe I’m getting too optimistic here.
•    That brings us to another point: Make sure the products and services you offer DO live up to their promises. Otherwise – poof – the trust is gone.