How Brands Earn Trust (I have a formula for you)
What We Think
Everyone says trust is important, but we don’t really talk about how to build it. I think it goes far beyond just the “do what you say you’re going to do.” You kind of have to learn your customer’s language and join their circle.
We tend optimize for reach, visibility, engagement, and then wonder why conversion, loyalty, or referrals aren’t doing to great. Most brands skip the trust work because it’s harder to measure, hard to fake, and the numbers people we have to be accountable to aren’t easily convinced it matters.
What Trust Really Comes Down To
There’s a useful mental model here, adapted from the world of consulting:
Trust = (Credibility + Reliability + Intimacy) / Self-OrientationLet’s break it down:
The Trust Formula, Rewritten for Marketers
1. Credibility
Do you know what you're talking about? Really…can you prove it? This comes from insight, thought leadership, clarity, and messaging that actually makes people say, “That’s true.” Whether you’re a fintech product or a silk sleepwear brand you should know what about security compliance and 22 momme fabric, respectively 💅.
2. Reliability
Do you show up consistently? Are your emails on time? Is your product stable? Does anyone answer your chatbot? Do you sound like the same brand in every touchpoint, or are you a different character on every channel? Do customers know you have their back?
3. Intimacy
No, not that kind ya perv. Do people feel like you understand them? Great brands are what I call “emotionally fluent." They reflect how customers talk, think, stress, hope. It’s like they share a lexicon, habits, values, the whole vibe.
4. Self-Orientation (the one that breaks most brands)
Do your customers feel like your content, ads, or strategy is more about you than them? If your brand always leads with your win, your mission, your case study, you're signaling to your customers you pretty much just care about yourselves.
The lower your self-orientation, the higher your trust.
Where Brands Lose Trust (Even Pretty Ones)
Over-promising in ads, under-delivering in product
Shifting tone too often in an attempt to stay relevant
Talking at customers, but ignoring comments and feedback
Relying on performance metrics as proof of trust (instead of behaviors like referrals, retention, and repeat engagement)
Signals Your Brand is High-Trust
People share your work/products without being incentivized
You get direct feedback (means people believe you'll listen to them)
Buyers come in waving cash at you
You can charge more without compromising conversion rates
Your content gets shared, saved, and revisited
TL;DR
Trust is built in teeny tiny increments across every small signal: the subject lines you write, the way your product behaves, how your tone of voice feels in different contexts, the types of images you use (stop *slaps hand* with the shitty stock photos for filler! Have intention!)
Credibility gets attention.
Reliability earns belief.
Intimacy creates loyalty.
Low ego keeps it all intact.
Coming Up Next
When to Break Your Brand Rules (and Why Consistency Isn’t Always the Answer)
We’ll talk about healthy rebellion inside brand strategy: what to keep sacred and how to evolve without losing your core.
What's new in The Brand Insiders Club
June and July we are running a Summer Giveaway Challenge! The person that participates in the most prompts in Kara’s Journal will receive a 1:1 coaching session to do a deep dive into the prompt of their choice. The session will be a live stream for any Brand Insider Club member to join as listeners.
August 14: Creating Meaningful Social Media Engagements by Aaron Kaufman
Not a member and want to try it out? Get your free day pass here.
What to know this week
AI influencers spark trust backlash Fake influencers like Mia Zelu are eroding credibility as consumers grow wary of deceptive, AI-generated personas. Brands are now urged to prioritize transparency in AI use.
Fashion hype culture unravels Designers like Brunello Cucinelli and Ambush push back against growth focused on virality, signaling a shift toward craftsmanship and cultural depth.
American Eagle surges on Sydney Sweeney campaign The high-impact visual campaign featuring Sweeney sparked viral buzz and a stock bump, blending nostalgia visuals with AI try-on tools.
Dupe products go mainstream Rising economic pressure is driving consumers toward store brands and dupes, accelerating acceptance of less-famous but quality alternatives.
B2B brands invest in emotional storytelling At Cannes Lions, enterprise and SaaS marketers leaned into B2C-style campaigns, using emotion and narrative to cut through crowded categories and build trust in complex buying cycles.
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