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Our Perspective

What this means for leaders navigating growth, change or transformation in their organisation.

The Trust Equation

Brand change rarely fails for lack of effort; it falters when the timing, tone and proof don’t align with what customers need to feel confident. Trust is earned in the quiet moments between announcements: what you signal in advance, how consistently you explain why it matters, and whether early experiences match the promise. Accenture notes that 62% of people say trust is a deciding factor when choosing whether to engage with a brand, which makes how you communicate change a commercial variable, not a communications afterthought.

Sequence Beats Volume

Most leaders default to “say it louder, once.” Better is “sequence it well, repeatedly.” In our experience, attention builds when you take people on a clear arc rather than asking them to absorb a single statement.

• Signal: Set context early and frame what will change and why.
• Explain: Translate impact in plain language by audience and use case.
• Prove: Share evidence through pilots, previews, or side‑by‑side comparisons.
• Support: Provide practical guides, routes to help, and feedback loops.

Most organisations we work with expect frequency to carry the message; in practice, sequencing does the heavy lifting.

Consistency As Signal

When change is underway, customers read for consistency: the same promise, expressed in the same way, across every touchpoint. That coherence isn’t window dressing; it’s how people decide whether to believe you. Research in the European Management Journal finds that perceived consistency across marketing communications directly lifts brand trust and loyalty. The implication is operational, not cosmetic: one shared narrative, agreed definitions, and disciplined handovers across sales, marketing and service. If teams can’t answer “what changes, for whom, by when?” with the same words, trust leaks.

Leadership Implications

Treat brand change as a product in its own right, with an owner, a plan and milestones. The job is not to reduce noise; it’s to curate evidence that reassures different audiences at different points in time.

• Define a minimum viable proof: what evidence you’ll share before and at launch.
• Establish message governance: who approves the one‑page narrative and updates.
• Align measures: track comprehension, adoption and support tickets alongside revenue.

Compounding Confidence

Handled well, change communication compounds. Each kept promise becomes a proof point for the next announcement, lowering risk and shortening cycles. The lesson is simple but demanding: sequence before megaphone, evidence before adjectives, and coherence before coverage—because trust, once established, becomes the quiet force that accelerates the next chapter.

Sources:

• Accenture Life Trends 2025: New Dynamics of Trust — Accenture
• How can perceived consistency in marketing communications influence customer–brand relationship outcomes? — European Management Journal

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