Why consumers refuse to buy from untrustworthy companies

Customers don’t buy from companies they don’t trust. But there’s one mistake I see often (and you might be guilty of it too) 👇 Companies not following through on their promises. Sure, you provide the service you say you will, or you ship the products they buy, but that’s the big stuff. The broken promises happen in small, almost imperceptible ways throughout the journey. A trustworthy digital experience does what it says it’s going to do and does not introduce surprises. Think about it from the customer’s perspective... 👉 If your site highlights top sellers in a rotating element on your homepage, and they click a product – they expect to go straight to that product page. ❌ If you send them to the “best sellers” catalog instead, you’ve broken a promise. 👉 Users generally understand how subscriptions work – either they pay monthly or they pay once. ❌ Introducing elements like surge pricing or unexpected fees violates those mental models and can lead to distrust very quickly. 👉 During checkout, users expect to see the final cost of their purchase before starting the process. ❌ If a $5 shipping fee pops up after they’ve already input their credit card information, they’re going to feel violated, like they were tricked into giving information for a situation they didn’t fully understand. If your company makes a promise to a customer, they expect you to keep it.

Many sales are lost not through failure to convey benefits or too high a price, but because trust was inadvertently destroyed. Because trust is so easily lost, you may want to take care to avoid the 10 quickest ways to kill it: 1. Make unrealistic or exaggerated promises. 2. Rarely provide evidence or proof to support facts and claims. 3. Attempt to create false empathy with formulaic, cliché manipulations such as "It's not your fault" or "I'm just like you." 4. Fail to demonstrate care or concern for the prospect's needs and well-being. 5. Write the copy from a vague corporate "we" perspective, rather than a specific individual with a distinct, relatable personality. 6. Omit "visual trust symbols" such as SSL certificates, privacy seals, trust seals from third parties (BBB or Trustpilot), and logos of accepted credit cards, professional affiliations, media mentions, or recognizable clients. 7. Don't have a guarantee (or, if you do, don't emphasize its value or importance). 8. Ensure the copy sounds like generic, insincere sales copy the prospect has heard a hundred times before, rather than authentic advice from a trusted friend (AI can be particularly helpful with this). 9. Be vague, elusive, or misleading about pricing, rather than upfront and transparent. 10. Neglect to include testimonials from a wide range of customers. BONUS: Even if there is no real deadline, include a countdown timer in a transparent attempt to pressure the prospect into making a hasty decision.

Why don't people believe CEOs anymore? 🤔 When Amazon announced return-to-office mandates, employees assumed it was a stealth layoff strategy. When Chipotle addressed portion complaints, customers suspected "shrinkflation." The pattern is clear: People don't judge your business on what you do—they judge you on the story they tell themselves about WHY you're doing it. In an era where trust in business is at historic lows, every decision passes through a skepticism filter. Your existing customers might give you the benefit of the doubt, but prospects? They're primed to assume the worst. The breakthrough insight: You have to earn the right to have your story believed. My latest newsletter dives into four research-backed strategies that actually work: ✅ Lead with customer impact, not company features ✅ Explain your logic, not just your decisions ✅ Own mistakes and share lessons learned ✅ Build relationship capital before you need it The companies that master this aren't just surviving the trust crisis—they're using it as a competitive advantage. What's your experience? Have you seen trust make or break a business relationship? Read the full newsletter (link below) #Trust #Leadership #CustomerExperience #BusinessStrategy #CorporateCommunication