As consumers continue diversifying their shopping habits, specialty automotive parts manufacturers and sellers must build consumer trust to beat the competition and grow their business.
Building consumer trust is challenging to do for any online retailer. However, it is especially difficult for specialty automotive parts sellers because they are constantly compared to existing brands that consumers may already be familiar with.
For specialty automotive parts sellers looking to build consumer trust, there are three things you need to effectively implement: build a strong brand identity, align marketing with customer values, and use online reviews to your advantage.
Establish A Strong Brand Identity
Brand identity is among the first keys to building consumer trust. Consumers place their trust in companies they recognize.
Let’s say the average consumer is asked to pick which soft drink they prefer. They’re presented with two options, a can of Coca-Cola and a can of a generic cola sold at a local supermarket. Odds are, the average consumer will choose to drink the can of Coca-Cola because it’s a brand that they recognize from the name to the color and overall can design.
The same can be applied to your specialty automotive parts business. If a competitor has a stronger, already established brand identity, your customers will likely flock to them even if you offer a better price or a better shopping experience.
Building your brand identity is essential, and it’s important to reinforce your brand online and offline.
Easy ways to elevate your brand:
Branded Packaging
Use your company logo, colors, fonts, and other relevant elements on all your packaging, from shipping boxes to “thank you” cards.
Branded Social Media
All of your social media accounts need to look similar to one another. People should be able to easily identify your handle, your images, and the content you post.
Branded Marketing Assets
Your marketing collateral should reinforce your brand identity through visuals and messaging. Brand identity exists beyond the final purchase. It exists across every stage of the buying process.
A strong brand identity can help you generate consumer awareness and increase your customer base.
Align Marketing With Customer Values
Customer values are varied and aren’t always easy to nail down. However, if you can find your potential customer base’s most commonly shared values, you can better tailor your marketing to meet their needs.
In the past, price-focused marketing was the king strategy for any online retailer. However, as consumers become more knowledgeable about their buying decisions, having only price-focused marketing can do more harm than good. Refocus your marketing strategy to align with your customer’s values.
If your customers value quick and cost-effective shipping, create ads that align with those values and highlight your ability to deliver on them. If your customers value positive customer service, you can focus your marketing on messaging, highlighting your customer service experience.
Determine what areas have the highest priority to your customers and tailor your marketing messaging to reflect them. This can help reinforce your brand identity and encourage consumer trust.
Use Reviews To Your Advantage
Many retailers think of online reviews as a potentially negative awareness tactic. However, when done right, they can be an excellent marketing tool and a great way to build brand identity.
According to leading sources, an estimated 95% of consumers read online reviews before buying products. With such a large percentage of consumers referring to online reviews in the buying process, it’s clear that they value the opinions and experiences of other customers when making online purchases.
Offering incentives can help encourage more customers to leave reviews and general feedback on their buying experience. For example, it could be a 30% coupon off their next purchase within 30 days, a bundle offer for 5+ order items, or an equally attractive offer. Regardless of the incentive, be sure to include it in your online review strategy.
Generally, when gathering customer reviews, it’s good to start with 50 reviews to host on your website. Companies with the strongest built brand identity have over 1,000 reviews on their website and highlight the best ones that cover the values most important to their customer base.
Build Your Consumer Confidence Effectively
Establishing a strong brand identity is key to building consumer trust. Nearly 50% of the average retailer’s auto parts buyers are repeat customers, making them an important market segment. Pivoting the focus of your marketing efforts, aligning with your customer’s values, and using online reviews to your advantage can help you effectively build your brand identity and transform your business.
Click the button below if you’re ready to expand your specialty automotive parts business and generate more revenue. Let’s discuss how RevolutionParts can help you get more of your parts into the hands of loyal customers.
