Strategies of Building Trust in Product Manager – Consumer Communication: a Discursive-Pragmatic Aspect

Abstract

The article examines the discursive and pragmatic foundations of trust-building strategies in communication between a product manager and the consumer. The relevance of the study is determined by the growing importance of trust as a strategic resource in contemporary digital and globalized markets, where consumers increasingly evaluate not only the functional characteristics of a product but also the transparency, ethical stance, and communicative behaviour of the brand representatives. In this context, the product manager acts as a key mediator between the company and the audience, and the effectiveness of this interaction largely depends on the ability to construct and maintain a consistent, reliable, and ethically grounded communicative style. The aim of the research is to identify and systematize the main discursive-pragmatic strategies that contribute to the formation of consumer trust in the communication of a product manager. The findings demonstrate that trust does not emerge spontaneously but is shaped through a complex interplay of linguistic and extra-linguistic factors. Effective trust-building requires the balanced integration of logos, ethos, and pathos. A significant role is played by specific speech acts – particularly commissives, expressives, and assertives – which allow the product manager to articulate commitments, express appreciation or apology, and provide truthful, clear information.