The Essential Connection Between Culture & Customer Trust: 3 Ways to Cultivate It

A turning point is occurring in the B2B world, according to the 2024 Dentsu Superpowers Index, which studies the factors influencing the B2B buyer journey. This year, for the first time since Dentsu launched its Superpowers Index four years ago, the research findings state that “personal decision drivers are outweighing the more functional professional drivers in their overall importance” in B2B buying.

Personal decision drivers are grounded in trust -- think personal values, ethics, and the opportunity to learn new skills or gain knowledge. Conversely, professional decision drivers are rooted in more pragmatic factors such as pricing, product and service ratings, variety, and choice.

The bottom line is that brand has never mattered more in B2B. As a performance marketing agency with a mission to deliver ROI and outcomes, we've based our business model on pragmatic factors, such as data and results. However, we also recognize the importance of brand and trust. We value creativity, storytelling, and the emotional side of our agency business just as much as we value the practical side. That’s because there’s an undeniable connection between the two.

As we develop and implement campaigns for our B2B clients, which include Fortune 1000 firms, agencies, and small businesses, we know that getting to outcomes requires establishing trust and relevance with target audiences. In a recent blog we offered marketing tips and strategies for doing just that, but here’s another perspective I wanted to share today: Whether you’re a brand or an agency, trust begins with your culture. It needs to be built and strengthened from the inside out.

According to an article by ANA (the Association of National Advertisers) on the topic of in-house agency cultures, “Effective leaders create an environment where trust, transparency, and open communication are the norm, empowering team members to use their unique talents toward shared goals. It's about creating a welcoming space and a high-performing, inclusive environment where creativity thrives for individuals and the team.”

I couldn’t agree more, and the rewards can include happier employees, customers and partners; more successful marketing campaigns; better business outcomes; and much more. However, it’s also clear that building and maintaining a strong culture takes hard work. Here are three of my top takeaways from ANA, along with my own thoughts, on how to get it right:

Prioritize Consistency: Leaders should consider culture as part of every decision they make, reflecting on how it may support or detract from the values they have established for the company. It's also important to recognize that culture doesn't happen overnight, and it isn't a "one-and-done" decision. Keeping culture alive and thriving takes ongoing attention and work -- from leaders especially – but from the entire team as well. Like most things in business and life, when it comes to culture, consistency breeds trust.

Encourage Innovation and Risk Taking: Leaders must actively foster an environment where innovation is encouraged and teams can experiment and push boundaries without fear of failure, says ANA. Risk-taking and even failure should be viewed as a learning opportunity. This will keep your culture innovative, dynamic, and forward-thinking. As employees recognize they have the freedom to create change, the culture of trust will grow.

Communicate Transparently: Consistent, transparent communication is essential to maintaining a strong culture in good times, bad times, and when change occurs. As ANA states, “explaining the ‘why’ behind these changes helps team members understand the bigger picture and feel connected” to the journey. Communication must also be bi-directional: All of your stakeholders should feel they have the freedom to ask questions and express opinions and ideas. The philosophy that I've always shared with our team, business partners, and clients is to speak up when something doesn't feel right. This opens the door to working more effectively together, which allows trust and culture to thrive.

How do you maintain a strong culture within your organization? We’d love to hear from you.

Reach out to us today for a no-cost consultation on performance marketing and brand building.