{"id":32261,"date":"2020-01-10T09:31:40","date_gmt":"2020-01-10T15:31:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crowdspring.com\/blog\/?p=32261"},"modified":"2023-06-06T19:31:06","modified_gmt":"2023-06-07T00:31:06","slug":"brand-authority","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crowdspring.com\/blog\/brand-authority\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Ways to Effectively Build Brand Authority in Your Industry"},"content":{"rendered":"

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From infancy, humans are trained to follow the instruction or recommendations of those in authority.<\/p>\n

Often, authority is determined more by perception than any concrete trait, knowledge or ability. But the instinct to follow experts (perceived or otherwise) doesn’t go away.<\/p>\n

We simply cannot know everything.<\/em> And most of us don’t have the time to try. Instead, we rely on industry experts and people of influence to guide us through their particular area of expertise.<\/p>\n

This is why the USA TODAY bestseller list often features books from Oprah’s Bookclub<\/a>; and, why the American Dental Association’s recommended toothpastes<\/a> sell so well. It also explains why most of us take our freshly-signed prescriptions to the pharmacy without question.<\/p>\n

Why is brand authority important to your business?<\/p>\n

Ultimately, brand authority comes down to trust.<\/p>\n

Trust is critical to acquire and keep customers, especially if you’re selling higher-priced goods or services.<\/p>\n

If your business is trusted, customers feel confident that you know what you\u2019re doing and that they’re spending their money wisely when they buy your company’s products or services.<\/p>\n

What is brand authority and how is it determined?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Dr. Robert Cialdini<\/a> is one of the most respected authorities on marketing and influence. His book, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion<\/a>,<\/em> discusses six principles of influence that can help you grow your business. The principle of authority is one of those six principles.<\/p>\n

Authority can mean many things. But, for the purposes of our discussion today, authority is the influence that your brand develops from its experience, knowledge, and leadership.<\/p>\n

Traditionally, according to Cialdini,\u00a0 authority is identifiable by three symbols<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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  1. Titles<\/strong>: Prestigious titles have a compelling psychological effect.\u00a0 Consumers are more likely to blindly follow someone with an authoritative title like Doctor, Judge, President, or CEO.<\/li>\n
  2. Clothes<\/strong>: Well-attired business professionals and people in uniform are more likely to have influence over others who lack such status-laden clothing.<\/li>\n
  3. Trappings<\/strong>: These are status symbols that imply authority – even if that authority is only perceived. Examples of trappings include items like luxury cars and homes or living in exclusive, expensive locations. Cialdini notes that at stoplights, drivers are more likely to honk at economy cars which pose no authority rather than the luxury vehicles that do<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    While titles, clothes, and trappings still play a role in deciding authority in-person for brick and mortar businesses, much of the authority needed to influence purchasing habits appears online.<\/p>\n

    Social media following, expert seals of approval, and celebrity play powerful roles in establishing authority in your field.<\/p>\n

    Importantly, you can’t develop brand authority by conferring that status on yourself. Brand authority is a status that others ascribe to your business – assuming they trust and respect your business.<\/p>\n

    In this respect, brand authority is similar to brand identity. As we wrote in our comprehensive guide on building a great brand identity<\/a>,<\/p>\n

    Importantly, your brand is not what you say it is.<\/p>\n

    Your brand is how your customers and prospects perceive your company.<\/p>\n

    You may want your customers and prospects to see your brand as innovative, fresh, and socially conscious.<\/p>\n

    But what\u2019s most important isn\u2019t what you want \u2013 but how they actually see your brand.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Having said that, your company\u2019s brand authority is not completely out of your hands. In fact, you can implement strategies to grow your brand authority and customer trust, as we’ll discuss below.<\/p>\n

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