Trust Ranking and Reviews Impact Sales: Industry Report
Understanding how your trust ranking and reviews impact sales is crucial in today’s market. That’s why this industry report, titled “Industry Report: How Your Trust Ranking and Reviews Impact Sales,” is essential. Recent studies, such as the Gallup poll on Honesty/Ethics in Professions, reveal how consumers rank various industries by trust. This perception directly affects buying decisions and sales outcomes.
Gallup Poll: How Trust Rankings Affect Sales
The poll surveyed honesty and ethical standards across professions. Unfortunately, salespeople ranked low alongside stockbrokers, business executives, lawyers, and bankers. This lack of trust starts customer relationships on shaky ground, making sales challenging in competitive markets.
Why Building Trust Through Reviews Matters
In industries where products require explanation or personal interaction, trust drives sales. Consumers often prefer to research on their own, but when they engage with salespeople, trust is essential. One effective way to build this trust is through customer reviews.
How Reviews Influence Buyer Behaviour
92% of consumers read online reviews.
40% form opinions after reading just 1 to 3 reviews (source).
80% trust reviews as much as personal recommendations.
88% factor reviews into purchase decisions.
Reviews from satisfied customers act as trusted social proof. This content reduces buying anxiety, builds confidence, and improves your trust ranking—all of which impact sales positively.
Boost Your Trust Ranking With Strategic Review Use
Make the most of your customer reviews by sharing them across platforms:
Post on your business Facebook page to showcase real experiences.
Share on LinkedIn to reach professional networks.
Repost on Instagram for wider engagement.
These authentic stories build trust naturally and drive sales over time.
| Profession | Very High | High | Average | Low | Very Low | No Opinion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nurses | 28% | 56% | 15% | 2% | * | * |
| Medical doctors | 15% | 52% | 25% | 6% | 2% | 1% |
| Pharmacists | 14% | 52% | 28% | 4% | 1% | 1% |
| High school teachers | 17% | 43% | 29% | 8% | 2% | 1% |
| Police officers | 15% | 39% | 32% | 9% | 4% | 1% |
| Accountants | 5% | 37% | 48% | 6% | 1% | 3% |
| Funeral directors | 8% | 31% | 42% | 8% | 2% | 7% |
| Clergy | 8% | 29% | 43% | 12% | 3% | 5% |
| Journalists | 7% | 26% | 31% | 21% | 13% | 2% |
| Building contractors | 4% | 25% | 49% | 17% | 3% | 1% |
| Bankers | 3% | 24% | 50% | 17% | 4% | 1% |
| Real estate agents | 2% | 23% | 54% | 15% | 4% | 3% |
| Labor union leaders | 4% | 17% | 42% | 23% | 8% | 5% |
| Lawyers | 3% | 16% | 51% | 21% | 7% | 1% |
| Business executives | 3% | 14% | 49% | 26% | 6% | 3% |
| Stockbrokers | 2% | 12% | 48% | 26% | 6% | 6% |
| Advertising practitioners | 1% | 12% | 46% | 29% | 8% | 4% |
| Telemarketers | 1% | 8% | 32% | 33% | 23% | 2% |
| Members of Congress | 2% | 6% | 33% | 38% | 20% | 2% |
| Car salespeople | 1% | 7% | 47% | 33% | 11% | 2% |
Salespeople and advertisers were near the bottom of the trust ladder. Sounds tough, right? Starting off with a low trust score makes building customer relationships a constant challenge.
Changing The Game
Traditionally, salespeople relied on cold calling to hit targets. But now, inbound marketing lets competitors build trust before customers even speak to a salesperson. Many consumers prefer to buy without talking to a seller. However, in industries where personal guidance matters, building trust with the person selling the product or service is still essential.
If your sales team struggles with trust daily, it’s time to make your life easier:
Give your customers what they truly need—trust.
Focus on boosting your own trustworthiness and that of your team, business, and products.
Content That Builds Trust
So, what kind of content builds trust?
Content that inspires confidence and eases doubts about your products or services. This is often where teams hit a wall because they don’t know where to start.
But here’s the secret: your best source of trust content comes from happy customers. Their stories prove you deliver great service and value.
That’s exactly what reviews are. When visible online, reviews become powerful content you can share. Best of all, you just need to keep doing what you do best—solving customer problems—and ask for feedback with permission to share it.
Online reviews play a top role when customers decide whether to buy.
Use Complementary Reviews to Boost Trust
Customers deeply distrust salespeople, seeing them as self-serving. But there’s one group they trust a lot more: other customers.
People believe other buyers have less bias and more at stake. So customer reviews carry real weight.
92% of consumers read online reviews.
40% form an opinion after reading just 1 to 3 reviews (source).
80% trust reviews as much as personal recommendations.
88% of online shoppers factor reviews into purchase decisions.
How to Amplify the Power of Reviews
Leverage reviews across your marketing channels. For example:
Post client reviews on your business Facebook page as part of your social media feed.
Share the same review on LinkedIn to reach professional contacts.
Reshare on Instagram to engage followers visually.
Imagine the reach and value generated from just one authentic customer story. It’s timely, genuine, and compelling.
All you need to do is keep delivering excellent service and ask customers if you can share their feedback
If you’d like to know how I can help you get more reviews and showcase them, contact me today and we’ll review, your review strategy.
