Crystal Clear Communications Blog

When you create your message, don’t try to fool your audience. This point may seem obvious … but companies, brands and leaders are often tempted to mislead people.

Whatever you say in your message, make sure it’s the truth. It’s practical to always tell the truth because:

•      It’s the right thing to do. 
•      It gives you less to remember. 
•      It heads off legal problems. 
•      It even makes you healthier.

Don’t mislead Your audiences

Don’t let your brand slip innocently into unintended falsehoods. Take the trouble to double-check and update the facts in your message regularly, since certain facts change day to day. Update your message whenever it’s needed — for example, when new information or late-breaking news comes along. 

People have heard falsehoods all their lives from politicians, snake-oil salesmen, and conflict entrepreneurs, who stand to gain attention or money when people fall for a lie. Some people in an audience tolerate fake facts, false claims, exaggerations, and lies because they’re used to hearing lies.

Like rumors, lies spread quickly through news and social media. ““A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes” is a quote attributed to Mark Twain. But since this quote only appeared after he’d been dead for years, attributing it to Mark Twain is a falsehood.

Always be honest

Honest brands make promises and meet their commitments, so they satisfy customers. People hate brands that overpromise, then underdeliver.

Certain competitors do worse than overpromising: they conjure fake facts to mislead people intentionally. For centuries, people in Europe and America bought patent medicines, miracle elixirs, and snake oil. Sellers claimed they could cure any ailment, then swindled customers with useless, and even harmful, drugs.

As a result, the U.S. Congress passed the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906. For the first time, medicines had to prove they were safe and effective. 

Yet, more than a century later, false facts continue to spread. In the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer survey, around the world, people said they trusted search engines and traditional media, were neutral about owned media, and distrusted news from social media.. 

When anyone deceives anyone else, some people forgive and forget it, while others cannot let it go. Many avoid brands and people that get caught in a lie. They bad-mouth these bad actors – poisoning them by word of mouth. 

Promises made and kept build trust

A lie may help a brand or a person get a transaction done once. But lies undermine trust and erode the prospects of building future relationships. Smart brands send truthful messages to help them build healthy long-term relationships.

Telling the truth is good for your reputation and it’s even good for your health, a study at the University of Notre Dame found. People who tell fewer lies reported fewer mental health problems, fewer sore throats, and headaches. 

Tell the truth. It’s the right thing to do.

Since telling the truth gives you less to remember, it’s easier to keep your story straight. Truth-telling helps your reputation and your health.

In our Age of Distrust, people’s natural reflexes are to mistrust others, particularly outsiders. The 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer survey found that people around the world have low trust in society’s leaders. ”

Who do people trust? And who don’t they trust? 

Least trusted are government leaders and journalists, whom less than half of people trust. More trusted are neighbors, trusted by 2 out of 5 people. About 2 out of 3 people trust the citizens of their own country, and CEOs of their own employers. Most trusted are scientists and teachers, trusted by 3 out of 4 people. 

We live in a time of low trust, so telling the truth remains crucial for long-term success.

Earn audiences’ trust 3 ways

First, you needs a truthful, credible message that merits people’s attention. Second, you need credible messengers, trustworthy people who can deliver your message with integrity. Third, your message needs to appear in media with high credibility.

Great brands earn people’s trust by telling the truth consistently. 

Imagine a salesperson telling you, “Our brand is not for everyone. For certain customers, it works. For others, it doesn’t.”

Ask yourself: Would you trust this candid salesperson more than his competitors?

The best salespersons build trust by disarming customers with their shocking, unexpected candor. They tell the ugly parts of the truth that others don’t mention. 

Salespeople who make a reference to a weakness early on are immediately seen as more honest in the eyes of customers, Robert Cialdini notes in his book Pre-Suasion. The same thing is true for lawyers arguing a case – admitting to weakness actually increases your perceived trustworthiness.

Avoid the 6 biggest pitfalls when you create your brand message. Irrelevant messages are the fifth pitfall. Here are blogs on pitfalls one, two, three, and four.