A major survey on corporate trust just came out, and the news isn’t good.

Of people surveyed in 20 countries, 62% say they trust corporations less now than they did a year ago (2009 Edelman Trust Barometer).
People do business with people they like and trust, so how can you inspire trust during the current crisis of credibility?

Buyers are increasingly turning to real experiences to give them the confidence that products, services, and people deliver what they promise. In the age of Amazon.com reviews and eBay feedback, prospects are looking for anecdotes from other happy customers.

Capturing the experiences of your most successful customers not only boosts your credibility but also educates buyers and shows them the payoff of your solutions.

Here are 25 ways to use customer success stories in your sales and marketing to increase buyers’ trust.

1. Web sites: Your site is often a buyer’s first impression of your company. Start building the relationship on a foundation of credibility by highlighting your successes right from the homepage and anywhere on the site where you talk about the benefits of your solutions.
2. Newsletters: Run customer success stories in newsletters that go to prospects, customers, employees, and partners.
3. Blogs: When making a point in a blog post, use a customer success story as an example.
4. Direct marketing: Highlight a customer’s success in a mailer, either as a full story or an overview, to prospects and customers. Read the full story

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