What’s the number one most important factor in attracting new clients? Can you guess?

Okay, I’ll tell you…

It’s TRUST! 

You’ve probably heard of the “know, like, and trust” factor in the marketing world as the single-most important key to attracting new clients online. I would even take this a step further and say that the most important of these three, is trust.  

If someone doesn’t trust you, they are not going to hand over their hard-earned money to work with you. 

So… how do we build more trust so we can attract more clients, incorporate trust into our marketing, and make a bigger impact in the world? 

Focus on Service, Not Sales

One of the biggest mistakes I see people make is that they try to sell before providing any real value or service to their audience. Before selling, we need to be of service by providing helpful tips, creating space for connection, and sharing inspiration. 

All of this ties into building the know, like, and trust factor - people are more likely to invest in people they know, like, and trust, so your first goal should be to share yourself, your personality, and your expertise with your audience. 

By starting off service-oriented, we not only have the opportunity to genuinely help people, but we also get to show off our expertise and start to build real relationships. 

Build Real Relationships

I’ve said it before and I will say it many more times again, relationship-building is the most important thing you can do for yourself as an entrepreneur. 

Whether you’re attending the same event each month, or testing the waters of different types of events, showing up as the face of your brand confidently and consistently at networking events will help you grow your business through word of mouth and the relationships you create. 

The key in building real relationships though, is to focus on connection for the sake of connection… not with what you can get out of that connection at the front of your mind. If you’re building relationships solely for the sake of exploiting them later for sales or something else, then you need to reconsider your approach, take a step back to look at the bigger picture, and understand that is NOT a way to build trust or a relationship. 

Share Your Opinions With Conviction

There have been times in my business when I’ve held back, scared to share what I stand for because I don’t want to offend or alienate people who don’t stand for the same thing.

But I refuse to do this anymore, because now there is too much at stake.

Just this week, I sent an almost rant-like email and video to my list, and you know what their response was? GRATITUDE. Because I was sticking up for them and showing how passionately I support what we all stand for. 

As business owners we have privilege and influence; and being so, we have a responsibility to stand up and speak out.

Not only that, but people want to support businesses that align with their values, beliefs and opinions.

People want to connect with others who are similar, who share similar beliefs and values. And with so many options online these days, it’s nearly impossible to become known, liked, and trusted without sharing your opinions. 

Establish and Share Your Brand Values

These days, more than ever, your potential clients want to build relationships with brands they feel aligned and connected with. So if you're not sharing your brand values, you're missing an important opportunity to build the connection and trust potential clients need to join your programs, buy your products or hire you as their guide. 

For more in-depth guidance on how to establish brand values, check out this blog post. 

Practice What You Preach

Last, but certainly not least, practice what you preach. 

If you are a branding coach who doesn’t have a beautiful, consistent and aligned brand… Why would anyone want to work with you to build their brand? Why would they trust that you know how to build a brand?

As the authority in your space and the guide your audience is looking towards, you need to not only tell them what to do, but lead by example and show them how it’s done, through what you do. 

To build trust, people have to believe in you… but how are they meant to believe and trust that you can show up for them, if you can’t even show up for yourself? 

There are many ways to build trust online, and unfortunately, many ways to completely crush any potential trust or relationship… before it even begins.
 
If you want to get started on the right path to building trust with your community, I invite you to join us in our FREE Facebook Group, The Daring Fempreneur, and come ask any questions you may have! We help heart-centered, purpose-driven fempreneurs build their communities and businesses, and support each other through the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. I can’t wait to see you there!