How to inspire trust in customers who don’t know you yet
Welcome to this series! Here we help you assess whether your business is prepared to enter francophone markets strategically and sustainably. Each article explores one of six essential question to help you decide if, when, and how to take your next international step.
Trust Is the real conversion strategy.
So far, this series has guided you from establishing internal readiness to cultural understanding, value proposition adaptation, and tactical Go-to-Market (GTM) execution. You now have traffic, impressions, and early leads.
Now comes the another crucial question: Why should anyone buy from a brand they’ve never heard of?
In France, Québec and beyond, foreign companies start from a credibility deficit. Prospects are not just evaluating your product; they are evaluating the risk of working with a non-local entity.
For your new customer, trust is a strategic blend of authority + social Proof + risk reduction.
The goal is to deploy trust signals adapted to local expectations, so prospects feel confident choosing you over established local competitors. Throughout this article, we will refer to real-world examples to show exactly how trust signals can be implemented in live websites: Qonto for France and Dialogue for Québec.
1/ France: Build authority & institutional credibility
In the French market, trust is founded on institutional structure, legal rigor, and proven quality. Your messaging and operational setup must prove you are a serious, established, and durable partner.
A/ Operational legitimacy: The foundation of French trust
French buyers trust brands that look serious, structured, and durable. Your setup must validate your commitment to the long term.
Key signals to prioritize:
Visible GDPR compliance: This is non-negotiable. Displaying a clear data policy, explicit cookie governance, and accessible DPO contact information signals technical maturity and respect for European law.
Clear local legal presence: Even if it’s just a representative office or a locally named subsidiary, having a clear presence boosts credibility and is often required for major B2B contracts.
Local billing norms: Use SEPA-compatible invoicing, local bank accounts, and ensure proper “Hors Taxe” distinctions are made on all B2B pricing documents.
Quality Certifications: Displaying ISO standards, industry standards, or recognized French quality labels immediately elevates perceived authority and technical rigor.
Screenshot from Qonto’s website showcasing their DPO information, cookie policy and privacy policy localized for the French market
B/ Community engagement & high-visibility human touch
France values expertise that is backed by credible, established institutions and thought leaders.
Thought Leadership: Invest in high-quality, non-promotional content like white papers, regulatory explainers, and detailed technical documentation. This positions you as a mastery brand and an expert in your domain.
Expert Validation: Focus on securing testimonials or validation from French academics, reputable industry associations, or influential subject matter specialists. Their endorsement carries immense weight that far surpasses a global executive quote.
Media Legitimacy: Earned coverage in trusted national outlets (Les Échos, Le Monde, Maddyness) is seen as a verification of seriousness and reliability, often proving more effective than any paid advertising campaign.
Localized trust signals: testimonials, ratings and metrics
Localized thought leadership
2/ Québec: Build human connection, proximity & community credibility
Local Testimonials: Use testimonials featuring Québec business owners or practitioners speaking directly about their experience. Proximity and relatability are key.
Warm, Practical Case Studies: These should focus less on raw, aggressive ROI and more on the collaboration and practical, reliable outcomes (referencing the relational value proposition from Article 3).
Visual and Linguistic Localization: Ensure the people, settings, and voices in your content reflect Québec’s cultural identity (not just generic French or international visuals).
On the Québec side, the company Dialogue highlights concrete examples of how relational trust is visually signaled.
A/ Hyper-localized social proof
In Québec, trust is built on community, familiarity, and a direct human connection. Your signals must prove you are an accessible, committed, and friendly partner who respects local identity.
Localized case studies with trusted French Canadian brands
Excellent visual & linguistic localization: market toggle, precise Québec terminology
B/ Community engagement & high-visibility human touch
Québec culture favors approachable, responsive companies. Show your human side.
Early Community Champions: Identify and empower satisfied early users to become public advocates and referral sources. Word-of-mouth is a highly potent trust accelerator in this market.
Transparent Access to Real People: Ensure your local phone numbers and named sales representatives are highly visible. Having a local human touch is crucial.
Linguistic Respect: Offer support and communication in Québécois French (FR-CA). This signals deep commitment and respect for the local language standards (Loi 101), establishing authentic goodwill.
An example of collaboration between Sunlife and Dialogue which garnered much community support
C/ Trust through association
Québec is a tight ecosystem. Being seen in the right places accelerates acceptance.
Sponsorship and Participation: Sponsor or actively participate in local business groups, chambers of commerce, and regional tech or industry events. This signals community investment and commitment, moving you beyond the label of a transient foreign vendor.
3/ Remove risk: Make saying “Yes” feel safe
Once authority and social proof are established, the final trust barrier is logistical and commercial commitment. You must mitigate the fear of signing with an unknown foreign entity.
A/ Reduce commercial & financial uncertainty
Directly address the buyer’s fear of commitment.
Localized satisfaction guarantees: Offer clear, generous refund or satisfaction guarantees, suitable for North American buyer expectations (more common in Québec) or tailored to French consumer law.
Low-risk pilots / proofs of concept: Offer genuine, free pilots or proofs-of-concept with minimal commitment, allowing the product to sell itself without high financial friction.
Transparent contracts: Your contracts should be concise, legally sound, and written in plain, accessible French. Avoid overly complex foreign legal jargon that requires excessive local legal review, which adds time and cost to the sales cycle.
B/ Support that feels close & dependable
Trust is built on the belief that you will solve problems quickly when they arise.
Local time zone support: Provide support hours that align with the local business day (CET for France, EST for Québec). A centralized 24/7 global line that answers during local off-hours is a negative trust signal.
Single point of contact: Assigning a dedicated local account manager or SDR builds trust far better than relying on a centralized, revolving-door international call center.
Visible promises: Clearly communicate promises about response times and escalation paths to set realistic expectations for support reliability.
C/ Transparent pricing & terms
The final price presentation is often the last point of friction.
Full clarity on taxes: Reiterate the price transparency rules (HT/TTC in France) and ensure full clarity on provincial and federal tax displays in Québec.
Predictable cost structure: Avoid hidden fees or ambiguous line items. Make the cost structure predictable and fair—this final act of clarity is a major trust unlock.
4/ Conclusion: Trust converts, trust retains
Your market success is defined by how quickly you can overcome the credibility deficit.
France demands trust through rigor, legitimacy, and authority.
Québec demands trust through proximity, empathy, and community.
Both markets reward brands that invest in long-term, culturally intelligent credibility, not just short-term campaigns. Trust not only converts prospects but is the ultimate engine of customer retention and organic growth.
The hard work is done. You have planned, localized, executed, and converted. The final challenge is to ensure your success is sustainable.
👉 How to scale your operations and build long-term sustainability in Francophone markets?
Want some help? At L2 Consulting, we help brands move from “we want to go international” to “we’re ready to do it right.