5 Ways to Build Trust in Your Brand
Is your brand easy to trust?
It doesn’t matter how incredible your services are if you haven’t built trust with your potential clients.
I heard this great example in a training the other day: You can go out on the street and offer people a $100 bill, for free, and you will get at least a handful of ‘no’s. Why?
Because – even when the value is indisputable – most people need to trust you before they will say yes.
This is why building know/like/trust is such a critical part of your marketing. But how do you actually do it?
There are the common tips you’ll see out there, like peppering your web presence with powerful social proof. All helpful! But, today, I want to share some of the less obvious methods that I think matter just as much.
Perhaps you can find some low hanging fruit to set you up for more 'yeses' in the near future?
1. Be curious (and listen).
Make an offer to a potential client before you get to know them, and how will they feel? Like you would make this offer to just anybody.
Potential clients need to know that they are your ideal clients – that you see an opportunity for them based on the information they’ve given you about their situation.
That means asking questions. Getting to know them. It means that you need to listen more than you speak in the sales conversation.
So simple. And isn’t it great news? They’ll actually trust you more if you let them do the talking!
2. Specialize.
Would you rather have a general physician or a surgeon perform your surgery? We intuitively assume that specialists are more experienced and trustworthy in their field. So, if you’re a jack of all trades, the assumption is going to be that you’re good at many things, but not necessarily great at anything.
You want to specialize so that you can be seen as an expert at something. Why not benefit from that free boost of confidence we bestow upon people who are focused in their field?
3. Show up often.
Studies prove that we have favourable feelings towards people or things that we’ve been exposed to more frequently than others. So, you can build know/like/trust with your potential clients simply by showing up and becoming a familiar face (or voice) in their world.
There’s lots to dig into here – it’s basically the foundation of your content strategy! But, for now, take heart in knowing that you’re building trust simply by putting yourself out there. (Even when you feel like your content isn't good enough!)
4. Be you. All of you.
We appreciate transparency and vulnerability in the brands we buy from. If we sense that they’re hiding something, we look elsewhere.
So, are you hiding something? Are you over-editing who you are or even shape-shifting to show up as who you think you need to be?
No judgement! We all do this and stepping fully into your authentic brand is a journey. It's enough to keep baby-stepping into your biggest, truest self every day.
Because they can't know you if you don't let them!
5. Trust yourself.
People follow your lead. This is probably the best kept secret in sales and client relationships.
If you don’t trust yourself, they will sense it and they'll allow hesitation to seep in, too.
But when you have your own back? When you’re brave with your leadership and confidence radiates from you? They will feel like they are in good hands. They’ll say ‘yes’. And they’ll get better results, too.
So...
If you know you have great offerings (those 100$ bills!), but you're still not enrolling as many dream clients as you like? This is where I’d look first. Are you missing simple opportunities to build trust?
Where do you think you might focus your efforts first? It might just be the game changer that finally calls in those next-level clients!
Stay true,
Lisa
PS: If you need somebody to help you claim your unique genius and show up authentically and consistently, start the conversation with me here. I know that the brand process is a bit of a mystery before you’ve experienced it! I can help with that. Book a free consult now and we'll explore your next chapter together.