6 Ways to Build Trust and Close More Deals in 2025 🚀
6 ways you must invest in 2025 to improve your brand trust and generate more deals
6 Ways to Build Trust and Close More Deals in 2025 🚀
Hey there 👋,
Hope you had a great week, and welcome back to Startup Growth Diaries! 🚀
Today, we’re diving into 6 proven strategies to build trust for your brand and help you close more deals in 2025. Trust is everything - it’s what turns curious prospects into loyal customers. Let’s break it down step by step (with real-world examples).
1. Thought Leadership 🧠
Thought leadership builds trust by positioning your founders and key team members as experts, not just in your product but in your industry. It’s about sharing valuable insights, authentic experiences, and bold ideas that inspire your audience.
Why it works:
It creates credibility for your brand.
It humanizes your company by showcasing the people behind it.
It sparks conversations, builds community, and attracts opportunities.
Example: Tobi Lutke, Founder and CEO of Shopify 🚀
Tobi uses Twitter (X) to share candid thoughts on entrepreneurship, leadership, and Shopify’s vision. His posts blend wisdom, wit, and humility, offering advice like:
“Founders, your job is to take responsibility for everything. Even for things you didn’t know were broken.”
By speaking directly to entrepreneurs, Tobi not only builds trust for Shopify but also inspires his audience to take action—positioning Shopify as the go-to platform for small business success.
Takeaway for You:
Share your expertise on platforms like LinkedIn or Twitter.
Be authentic—don’t just promote your company, share your experiences, lessons, and ideas.
Engage your audience—thought leadership is about sparking real conversations.
💡Pro Tip: Start by answering this: What unique perspective or insight can you offer your audience that no one else can?
2. Social Proof 💬
Social proof is all about showing your audience that others trust and love your product. When people see real customers succeeding with your solution, they’re more likely to trust your brand too.
Why it works:
It validates your claims with real results.
It leverages the power of “people like me” to build credibility.
It turns happy customers into your best advocates.
How to Do It:
Create case studies and customer success stories that highlight real ROI.
Amplify testimonials and user-generated content across social channels.
Collaborate with influencers or industry voices to share your story.
Example: Loom 🚀
Loom, the video messaging tool, uses social proof brilliantly by showcasing real customer success stories. For example:
They feature video testimonials where customers explain how Loom transformed their team’s communication.
They share quotes and snippets on their website and LinkedIn, like:
“Loom cut our meeting times in half and made async communication 10x smoother.”
By putting real users and results in the spotlight, Loom not only builds trust but also helps prospects visualize the value they’ll get.
Takeaway for You:
Talk to your customers: Gather quotes, stats, and stories about how your product helps.
Highlight their wins: Use video testimonials, case studies, or screenshots of great results.
Leverage advocates: Encourage users to share their success stories on social media or review platforms.
💡Pro Tip: Don’t overthink it - sometimes a simple quote or screenshot of a customer win can be the most powerful proof.
3. Industry Leadership 🏆
Being recognized as a leader in your industry builds instant credibility. Platforms like G2, Capterra, Gartner, or review sites like Trustpilot are where potential customers go to validate their decisions. If your brand is consistently top-ranked, it signals trustworthiness and authority.
Why it works:
It shows that real users value your product.
It positions your company as the go-to solution in your category.
It helps prospects make decisions faster by reducing perceived risk.
How to Do It:
Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on platforms like G2, Capterra, or Trustpilot.
Track and respond to feedback - engagement shows you care.
Align with research firms (like Gartner) to get recognized in industry-specific reports.
Another Example: Miro 🚀
Miro leveraged its leadership position on G2 and Gartner’s Magic Quadrant to build credibility in the collaboration tools space. By celebrating these wins and sharing them in their marketing, Miro positioned itself as the gold standard for remote teamwork.
Takeaway for You:
Encourage reviews: Make it easy for happy customers to leave feedback on platforms relevant to your industry.
Celebrate wins: Share badges, awards, or rankings on your website, social media, and emails.
Engage with reviewers: Thank customers for positive reviews and address any concerns - this builds further trust.
💡Pro Tip: Learn about how to get more reviews in the following post.
4. Publicity 📣
Publicity builds credibility by getting your brand featured in trusted media outlets. A well-placed article, press mention, or partnership with a journalist can amplify your reach, establish authority, and create trust with a broader audience.
Why it works:
It aligns your brand with established, reputable sources.
It increases visibility and drives awareness to new audiences.
It positions your company as a key player in your industry.
How to Do It:
Develop relationships with journalists who cover your space. Share unique stories, data, or trends that provide real value.
Pitch company news - product launches, partnerships, or milestones - to relevant media.
Contribute guest articles to niche blogs, newsletters, or industry publications.
Example: Figma’s Early Days 🚀
In its early days, Figma - now one of the most successful design collaboration tools -focused heavily on PR and storytelling to stand out.
Product Launch: Figma positioned itself as the first web-based design tool that allowed real-time collaboration - something revolutionary at the time.
Media Outreach: They pitched to tech publications like TechCrunch and design-focused outlets like Designer News, emphasizing how they were transforming design workflows.
Founder Storytelling: Co-founder Dylan Field shared Figma’s mission to "make design accessible to everyone," which resonated with their growing user base and the media.
These efforts created early buzz, won over the design community, and gave Figma a foothold in a competitive market.
Takeaway for You:
Highlight what makes you unique: What problem are you solving in a new way?
Target niche media first: Start with industry blogs and communities that your audience trusts.
Tell your story: Your founder’s mission and vision can be a powerful narrative.
💡Pro Tip: Don’t wait for journalists to find you. Be proactive - craft a clear, compelling story that highlights your product’s value and pitch it directly to media outlets.
5. Build Authority 🎓
Building authority means becoming the go-to expert in your niche. When your brand owns a specific topic or domain, you naturally gain trust and credibility from your audience.
Why it works:
It positions you as an industry leader.
It creates a reliable resource your audience returns to.
It builds long-term trust by demonstrating expertise.
How to Do It:
Launch an education center or resource hub focused on your industry’s challenges.
Publish in-depth content, like research reports, guides, or tutorials.
Share free tools or templates that solve specific problems for your audience.
Example: Ahrefs 🚀
Ahrefs, the SEO toolset, built incredible authority in the SEO and digital marketing space by focusing on education and value:
Free Education Hub: Ahrefs created an SEO academy with courses, blogs, and tutorials that demystify complex SEO concepts for beginners and professionals alike.
Content Marketing: Their blog consistently publishes in-depth guides like “How to Rank #1 on Google” or “Keyword Research Made Simple,” which rank highly in search results themselves.
Free Tools: Ahrefs launched free SEO tools like their Backlink Checker and Keyword Generator, giving users a taste of their expertise without a paid subscription.
By making SEO knowledge accessible and actionable, Ahrefs established itself as the ultimate authority in its niche.
Takeaway for You:
Educate your audience: Offer value through blogs, webinars, or videos that solve real problems.
Create free tools or resources: Help your audience succeed before they buy.
Be consistent: Authority is built over time with high-quality, actionable content.
💡Pro Tip: Authority is about giving more than you take. Provide so much value that people naturally trust your brand and turn to you when they’re ready to buy.
6. Recognition 🏅
Winning awards and gaining recognition from trusted industry sources is a powerful way to validate your brand's credibility. Awards provide external proof that your product, team, or company is leading the way in your space.
Why it works:
It builds instant trust and authority with customers.
It sets you apart from competitors.
It’s a great opportunity to celebrate your achievements and amplify your brand’s success.
How to Do It:
Research industry-specific awards or “best of” lists your audience cares about.
Submit for awards that align with your product, innovation, or company growth.
Highlight your wins on your website, social media, and marketing materials.
Example: Notion 🚀
Notion, the all-in-one productivity tool, gained early credibility by winning awards that aligned with its vision:
Named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, highlighting Notion’s ability to redefine team productivity and workflows.
Recognized in Apple’s App of the Year awards, which reinforced its role as a beautifully designed and highly functional tool for users.
These awards validated Notion’s mission to "empower the world to think, write, and plan," boosting trust among new users and showcasing its leadership in the productivity space.
Takeaway for You:
Start small: Apply for awards relevant to your niche, like “Best SaaS Tool” or “Top Innovator” lists.
Celebrate the win: Share awards on social media, newsletters, and press releases.
Leverage recognition: Add badges and logos to your website, landing pages, and customer emails to build trust.
💡Pro Tip: Awards aren’t just for big companies - many industry and startup-focused awards are built to celebrate innovation at every stage.
🚀 Let’s Wrap It Up
To build trust and close more deals in 2025:
Thought Leadership 🧠
Social Proof 💬
Industry Leadership 🏆
Publicity 📣
Build Authority 🎓
Recognition 🏅
Trust isn’t built overnight, but with these strategies, you’ll lay the foundation for long-term success.
Which of these areas will you focus on first? Hit Reply or let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear!
Until next time, keep growing 🚀
Idan