When choosing whether or not to invest in, or hire, you, your prospective clients are first determining whether or not they trust you.
Perhaps consciously, perhaps subconsciously, but that “Can I trust her to do what she says she will?” question is there. It’s even more prevalent in industries such as coaching, marketing consulting and mindset work where a few “bad apples” have tarnished the industries overall.
To avoid being lumped in with the scallywags, you want to lay the groundwork for trust long before someone thinks about investing with you.
There’s what I like to call the Circles of Trust™ (see picture above).
People trust more, invest faster and agonize less depending on which “Circle” your business falls in:
- Personal Experience: They’ve worked with your business before and been satisfied with the outcome. They’ve likely provided you with a testimonial, or thought about doing it. If the right offer is made, they’ll do business with you again without having to over think it. They’re also keeping an eye on you and may approach you if they have something specific in mind.
- Friends & Family: One of their friends or family have hired/invested with your business and had a pleasant experience which they shared. Your business is now on their radar — they’re looking for proof either way (that you are trustworthy and that you’re not) and have nothing invested in the outcome. Important note. . .studies show that 71% of people are more likely to buy if someone referred it to them via social media.
- Brand Recognition: You’re everywhere. They’ve been toying with the idea of getting help and everywhere they turn, they come across your business. It’s like when you buy a car and suddenly you’re seeing that same car everywhere — you’re in tune with it. When you create a Nurturing Path™, you put yourself in the flow for those looking for your services and are “seen everywhere”.
- Internet Search: In the “old” days, this would have been going through the Yellow Pages and looking for an ad which grabs your attention. The difference is that now, as the “advertiser”, you have the ability to ensure there’s great information out there — helpful, relevant, and informative, not purely promotional.
You have 3 choices when it comes to growing your Circles of Trust™:
- Do nothing. Let people find you, or not, based on the whims of search engines and what’s popular when they choose to look for your services.
- Haphazard Action. Go all gung ho putting information up and out there for the next 30 days, then get discouraged that nothing’s happened and clients aren’t beating down your door and so stop. Repeat the cycle periodically — often with a “new focus” or niche area. This is actually the worst thing you can do for your business and, sadly, what many business owners do.
- Create a Nurturing Path™. Essentially script the journey that your prospective clients will take — allowing for different paths into your business, with all culminating in them becoming a paying client, whether of programs, products or services. And, if you’ve done your job correctly, a raving fan who sends others to you as they continue to invest with you themselves.
The question is, which choice are you going to make?