There are endless guidelines and theories about marketing, but sometimes one sentence is enough. John Jantsch, who is dedicated to marketing for small businesses, sums it up:
“Marketing is getting people to know, like, and trust you.”
The trio of familiarity, liking, and trust sounds almost like a human relationship—and that's what good marketing is all about: building a (loose or closer) relationship with the customer. Few of us make major purchases or acquire long-term services from complete strangers. Trust, on the other hand, does not develop overnight.