Since certificate sellers have existed, we haven't bought a single one for our marketing. Why?
Certificates have an indisputably important role in marketing. They give customers the impression that the provider is trustworthy. The more prestigious the certificate title is - adorned with words like Super, Excellent, Top, and similar phrases - the more effective it is.
Where does this marketing get stuck?
Do you still remember Superbrands? Years ago, you could find posters almost everywhere showcasing new major Slovenian companies that had earned this label and proudly advertised their achievement. Recently, however, this advertising has somewhat faded. Can you guess why?
As we can see from the website, this certificate is used by 20,000 brands worldwide. The expert council from 2018 in Slovenia consists of 44 members.
Such large-scale mechanisms only works if adequate resources are available. This means that certificates need to be actively marketed.
Under normal circumstances, your competitors also have the resources to purchase them. And since the certificate sellers are fully dedicated to their business, your competitors end up with the same certificate as you.
The impact of the number of A's on marketing
Bisnode has a pretty good solution for this, as they add the appropriate number of A's to the certificate. So it's possible (though harder to verify at the moment of purchase) that you might have AAA, while your competitor only has AA. Or, if you're as outstanding as Kainoto, you even deserve the label.
Gold creditworthy company AAA
You can buy this label together with a golden graham and glass products for 1.200€. Or you can order the basic version for 230€. If you negotiate a bit with the friendly saleswoman over the phone, you can get a 35% discount (verified).
Trust and the Value of the Certificate for Marketing
At that point, the fundamental value of the certificate - trust - begins to decline.
If both you and your competitor can buy the certificate, it no longer inspires as much trust in your customers. It's the same as when you both have 10.000 purchased likes on your Facebook pages.
Your personal trust and marketing decision
Using a certificate is essentially a matter of personal trust criteria.
If you truly trust companies that carry the Bisnode AAA certificate, it makes sense for you to obtain and use that certificate yourself. If you prefer to buy Superbrands products in stores, then it's appropriate for you to acquire that status.
But if these labels don't really mean anything to you when shopping, it's probably better to develop your own quality system that guides you to be the best choice for your customers.
Kainoto: a marketing agency without certificates?
Personally, I trust companies and products based on other qualities:
- reviews from other customers
- friendliness, empathy, and professionalism of employees
- clear product features and pricing
- care for the environment and society
Instead of spending on marketing certificates, for now we prefer to allocate resources to charitable organizations, environmental solutions, and developing new solutions for our clients.
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