Are You Building a Business People Actually Want to Support? Here’s How to Tell.

In today’s fast-moving, global economy, winning trust as a business—especially as a woman founder, expat entrepreneur, or creative consultant—can be a challenge. Whether you’re just starting out or expanding to new markets, it’s no longer enough to simply offer a great product or service. People want to support businesses that align with their values.

And the good news? When you understand what customers truly care about, you can shape your brand into something that feels deeply supportive, human, and worth investing in.

Here’s what today’s globally minded consumers are really looking for—and how your business can deliver.

Photo by Blake Wisz on Unsplash

After all, you have to give them a good reason to trust your business over larger companies or those that they may have been shopping with for some time. Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to win them over, such as running the kind of business people actually want to support. 

In order to achieve this goal, you need to identify what your consumers care about, so that you can make sure your business operations and offerings align with these values.

What do customers care about? 

1. Sustainability That Feels Real

More and more customers are consciously choosing businesses that care about the environment. From fashion brands to food producers to wellness studios, sustainability has become an essential part of the value proposition.

That doesn’t mean you need a perfect green certification. What matters is transparency:

• Talk about your packaging choices if you are a product-based business.

• Partner with ethical suppliers.

• Reduce waste, and understand the terms with this waste management glossary.

Even small improvements, shared honestly, can build trust with your community.

• Clearly outlining your environmental values and the steps you take to uphold them on your company’s website. 

• Ensuring you understand the basics of waste management, such as by checking out this waste management glossary. This way, you can reduce waste as much as possible.

• Working with suppliers who also make an effort to promote sustainability.

• Reducing energy usage and working with renewable energy providers.

2. Transparency and Authenticity That Shows Up Everywhere

Did you know that 90% of customers say authenticity influences which brands they support?

A recent study found that 90% of customers value authenticity when choosing brands to support.

Your mission, your story, your why—these are not just background material. They’re your brand’s voice. Whether you're building a coaching business, running a product line, or launching a creative agency, make space for real storytelling.

Let your customers know who you are, what you stand for, and how their support fuels something bigger.

For example, you should once again ensure that your values are clearly reflected on your company’s website, such as through your mission statement. For example, you may want to discuss the steps that you are taking to empower others through employment opportunities or the charities that you are supporting. 

3. Accountability That Builds Loyalty

Mistakes happen. Delays happen. But silence? That’s what breaks customer trust.

If something doesn’t go as planned, respond quickly and transparently. Whether through email, Instagram DMs, or your help center—being reachable makes your brand feel human, not transactional.

4. Service That Feels Personal

You don’t need a call center or a chatbot army. Just give people the kind of support you would want.

• Quick, thoughtful replies.

• Warm, respectful language.

• A sense that they’re being heard—not processed.

Especially if you sell products, make the follow-up part of the experience. Ask how things went. Offer tips. Make them feel like more than just an order ID.

5. Quality customer service. Offering excellent customer service is another great way to make sure you’re running the kind of business that customers will readily support and recommend to others. Fortunately, this is a task that is relatively easy to wrap your head around. Think about the kind of experiences you enjoy as a customer, and make sure that this is something you are offering within your own business.

For example, if you value prompt responses to messages, enquiries and emails, then you may want to invest in automotive technology that ensures customers get a response as quickly as possible. Alternatively, if you prefer a more personalised approach, you can start to find ways to get to know your customers a little better, such as through surveys and focus groups. 

5. Safe Payments, Secure Experience

Trust isn’t just emotional—it’s also technical. If you're selling internationally, your customers need to know their data is safe and your platform is reliable.

Make sure your website is secured, your checkout system is up-to-date, and your policies are clear. It’s the foundation for long-term relationships—especially when people are buying from you across borders. This kind of measure can also protect you from costly reputational damage, which in turn would make it difficult to get customers on your side once again. 

Final thoughts. If you feel as though you’re finding it harder and harder to get customers interested in your business - but have a lot o faith in your products, you may need to take a closer look at your business model. This way, you can make sure that you are running the kind of company that consumers actually want to support. 

For example, this could be achieved by upping your sustainability efforts and disposing of waste correctly, to offering excellent customer service across the board. Following the advice above will put you in the best position moving forward, while also drumming up enthusiasm for your brand.

Need Help Aligning Your Brand With What Customers Want?

We now offer one-on-one business consultation packages to help founders and creators like you build trust, increase visibility, and shape their business around values that matter—without burning out.

Whether you’re launching a product line, managing international logistics, or trying to connect with ethical suppliers, our consultations are designed for real-life implementation, not just theory.

Explore our consultation packages here