The Mailchimp Guide to Brand Trust in the Age of Information Overload
Intuit Mailchimp’s new research report, ‘Brand Trust in the Age of Information Overload’ analyses what motivates the buying and spending habits of UK consumers, and how businesses can connect with them in today’s climate.
Sourced from a survey of 10,000 consumers across nine countries – including 1,500 consumers in the UK – the key takeaways from the report include: Brand trust and connection (46%) is the number one factor that drives sales, UK shoppers seek free delivery (44%) and discount codes (43%) before making a purchase and that 32% of shoppers have started trusting in brands less amidst the rise of misinformation.
Turn-offs for shoppers include: brands sending seven or more emails a week, unsubstantiated claims about brand purpose (38%) and talking politics (35%) – a particularly tricky one to avoid this week.
To find out more about how this report can be useful to marketers, LBB’s Alex Reeves caught up with Intuit Mailchimp head of EMEA Jim Rudall.
LBB> What questions did you want to answer when you set out to conduct the brand trust research?
Jim> In today's fast-paced, information-saturated world, understanding what truly constitutes a genuine consumer connection is critical. We set out to dissect how brands can build and maintain connection with increasingly conscious consumers, who are increasingly bombarded with information and choice. We also sought to identify where marketers should focus their efforts to cultivate and enhance brand reputation in a landscape where trust is more crucial than ever before.
LBB> What is the most surprising thing that came out in the process of making the report?
Jim> For me, one of the most surprising findings was just how rapidly we’re accelerating towards a future of data-driven personalisation. This has been the holy grail for brands for many years and now with the advent of AI and the changing consumer expectations it feels possible. We knew this would be important to consumers, but the extent to which young consumers in the UK embrace this trend definitely stood out to me. For instance, 71% of 18-24 year olds and 73% of 25-34 year olds believe that the future of personalisation means they won’t be searching for products or services – instead the products and services will come to them. This shift emphasises the growing expectation for seamless, personalised consumer experiences.
LBB> What have you found to be the most pronounced motivations of the spending habits of consumers around the world?
Jim> It’s hard to narrow down as every consumer is different, and therein lies the challenge for marketers in trying to connect with them! We also uncovered interesting regional differences - for example, excellent customer service is a top priority in Australia (45%) and New Zealand (48%) whereas in the Netherlands (28%) and Sweden (23%), this factor is far less important.
But the big one is connection – whether it’s through trust, personalisation or discounts and rewards. Nearly a third of global consumers trust brands less amid rising misinformation, but over half believe transparency can rebuild that trust. Ultimately, consumers today want to spend with someone they connect to, and that can manifest itself in a number of different ways. The underlying principle is that consumers are looking for meaningful interactions that resonate with their values and preferences.
LBB> Where does email fit into the broader trust in advertising pictures? The Advertising Association's recent Value of Trust report put it much lower in the rankings of trusted media than TV or radio, for example. Although it seems there is a generational divide there.
Jim> Our findings indicate that despite its lower ranking compared to TV or radio, email still holds significant value, especially among certain demographics. In the UK, the majority of consumers still enjoy receiving emails from brands they trust. This suggests there's still vitality in email marketing, but there is room for improvement and a strategic approach is required to unlock this.
Marketers have an opportunity to get the recipe for email marketing right. They must enhance personalisation and relevance, moving beyond the "send and hope for the best'' mentality. The UK consumer will tolerate six emails per brand per week, and marketers should be looking at that and thinking, “What can we offer that TV and radio can’t?” The answer is, of course, personalisation.
Personalising your marketing can be as simple as considering where your customer is in their journey, and the impact of a single initiative can be quite significant. Mailchimp user Community Fibre, for example, recently saw excellent results with an end-of contract campaign, retaining a whopping 87% of customers who otherwise might have churned – all by engaging them with emails at just the right time.
Brand advocates are also key: friends and family are the most trusted endorsements (47%), followed by customer testimonials and reviews (35%) – both much higher than content creators and influencers (10%*). These findings underline the real value of brand advocates – true unbiased, unpaid fans. The brand will benefit not only from the fan’s repeat purchases but also from their authentic following’s purchases (and perhaps advocacy) too.
LBB> How should brands act in their marketing if they want to build trust?
Jim> Brands need to be genuine and approach their marketing as if they are speaking to a person – because they are! Segmenting customers will help. But brands should also ask themselves what sets them apart; what’s their brand identity and why does it matter? And then how is this coming across in someone’s inbox, social media feed or other marketing channels?
Brands must think beyond immediate sales and focus on the overall value they offer consumers. For me, this can be viewed in three key areas:
1. Focus on quality service and communication: A proven track record of excellent customer service ranks highly as a driver for both purchases and engagement.
2. Value exchange: Brands should provide value to their customers in exchange for their data. While four in five shoppers need to be assured by brands that they’re using their data responsibly, nearly half (46%) are happy to share it with brands they trust. However, more than three-fifths (62%) want to see more value and greater personalisation in exchange for sharing it.
3. Live up to brand promise: Almost a third (31%) of shoppers rank ‘a company with values to match my own’ as the most important factor that significantly impacts purchasing decisions. Interestingly, many customers care more about sustainability than affordability.
As customers evolve, marketers today have a chance to evolve with them, forging long-lasting relationships that reward those on both sides of the shop window. Brands that prioritise knowing their customers and delivering on their brand promise will find the trust – and rewards – they’re after.
LBB> Where will Mailchimp be taking this research next?
Jim> Good question… wherever the consumers take us! But our journey with this research is far from over. From loyalty, to trust, to AI; there are plenty of trends out there that we’re exploring in more detail, all so that we can share insights that help our customers drive sales. We don’t always know what we’re going to uncover, but we do know that tomorrow’s consumers won’t be the same as today’s – and we’re going to keep asking questions that challenge our assumptions.
