Authority, credibility, expertise, and trust are intertwined and involve more than our logical brains. Sometimes you trust someone inexplicably and sometimes even if a person seems authoritative and credible, you just don’t trust them.
When it comes to B2B marketing, organizations need all four.
It’s easy to speak with authority.
All you have to do is sound like you know what you’re doing. If you think about it for even a second, you can probably think of a few people who speak with authority but who, you know without a doubt, have no idea what they are talking about.
There’s a bigger barrier to speaking with credibility.
For people to see you as credible, you need some kind of proof. Maybe you have an impressive degree, or title that indicates your experience. Perhaps you’ve been showing up consistently with smart things to say, or maybe you’ve gone out of your way to help people who are new to your industry. The point is, you’ve put in some work and it shows.
Subject matter expertise requires deep knowledge, gained through experience and work. Much harder.
Expertise presents an even bigger barrier. Search engines, both traditional and AI-powered, prioritize expertise. You can gain expertise through formal channels or through experience, but regardless of how you become an expert, it takes time and effort.
Trust is most difficult of all, and also the necessary ingredient in B2B marketing.
Trust is hard-won, yet fragile. You can speak with authority, credibly, and with demonstrable expertise, and still not gain trust. Once you’ve earned trust, it’s remarkably easy to lose it.
And who is going to buy from someone they don’t trust? Especially if the purchase requires a significant investment (as most B2B transactions do)?
It took weeks of putting food out, and slowly moving it closer to the house, making sure a soft towel or blanket was in a spot she liked to sit and being patient before this cat came close enough for pets. (it worked, though—she’s firmly a member of this household!)