TheTrustBlueprintConsistencyConnectionandBeyond

THE TRUST BLUEPRINT CONSISTENCY, CONNECTION, AND BEYOND! By Yvonne A JonesTable Of Contents Consistency is King Use Audio and Video Messages to Build Trust Using Testimonials to Build Trust Under-Promise and Over-Deliver Admit Your Mistakes and Make Things Right Conclusion About Yvonne A Jones 01 04 05 07 08 10 11The Trust Blueprint: Consistency, Connection, and Beyond Consistency is King Have you ever wondered why some businesses thrive on repeat customers and glowing referrals, while others struggle to maintain a loyal client base? The secret doesn't lie in the quality of their products or their marketing budget, but in something far more valuable and often overlooked:trust. "Trust is the glue of life. It's the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It's the foundational principle that holds all relationships. " ~StephenCovey In this information age that we are a part of, where choices are abundant and attention spans are short, earning and keeping the trust of your customers is the golden key to unlocking lasting success. This report unveils the invisible yet powerful strategies behind building a business environment based on trust, where consistency isn't just a practice but the heartbeat of your brand. One of the best ways to build trust with your audience is being consistent in everything you do. Think of it as keeping a promise to them. You set an expectation and then meet it without fail. Do this again and again, and you'll build a reputation as someone who can be relied upon. Let's look at the different areas in your business where you can be consistent. Page 1The Trust Blueprint: Consistency, Connection, and Beyond YourProducts and Services SharingContent One of the Ørst places you can work on consistency is with the content you share. What do most people do when they have a question? Their Ørst reaction is to search online. This emphasizes the importance of sharing content. It's often the way that potential clients Ønd out about you; and it's no longer just about your website. You want to regularly share quality content via your social media platforms as well. Set a schedule and stick with it. Not only will you build a reputation as being reliable, but also as someone who knows what they are doing. And the added visibility is a nice bonus. There are several layers to this area--from consistency in quality and branding to making sure your customers receive what they expect, when they expect it. Of course, this also applies to delivering any membership content you promise to deliver consistently. Do you have your own products? If so, it's a good idea to consistently release new products. It will help you build momentum and generate repeat purchases. Why is this important? Because it's much easier to sell more products and services to an existing customer than itis to acquire a new one. If you do not yet have your own products, become an afØliate for product creators who produce and release high quality products so that you are showing up as one who recommends products that get results. Page 2The Trust Blueprint: Consistency, Connection, and Beyond  Make sure you have a small stockpile of blog posts and things you can share on social media. That way when you're very busy, you have things you can post without having to spend a lot oftime doing research and creating content.  Use tools to automate and schedule as much of this as possible. For example, you can schedule your blog posts for the week or the month and automate sending out social media posts with links to those posts. The same goes for your newsletters.  Consider outsourcing some tasks. You can hire someone to post to and monitor your social media accounts and respond to emails for example. The last piece of the puzzle is email. One of the best ways to market and sell just about any product or service is to build a mailing list and to email them regularly. Get into the habit of emailing your subscribers once a week,twice a week or even daily. You will determine what's a good schedule over time. Keep to your schedule, share something of value, so that your subscribers will be on the lookout for your next email. Weave in offers for products and services they want and need. This will help you to make sales. Of course, you must take the time to respond to comments or questions you receive in a timely manner. Keeping in mind that these are only a part-yet a vital part of what you have to do as an entrepreneur or small business owner, following are three strategies I recommend to assist you in maintaining consistency: Page 3 Sending EmailsThe Trust Blueprint: Consistency, Connection, and Beyond  1) I believe it's important for you to understand clearly what is required to do the task so you can know what to expect from your assistant, and you're also in a place to guide her or him on what your expectations are.  2) Even when you hire someone to assist you in monitoring your social media accounts, you will be using this as a relationship building tool, so it's important that you make time to be present on social media to connect with your clients and potential clients. With that said, think about how you can start to use these strategies to build trust with your audience by being consistent in all areas of your business. Key Takeaway: Consistency is King: Regular, reliable engagement builds a strong foundation of trust. Use Audio and Video Messages to Build Trust Sharing content regularly is great, but if you're relying solely on the written word and static images, you're missing out on chances to build trust with your potential and existing customers. There's power in using audio and video. They are great tools that will generate trust much more easily. As social creatures we are designed to pay attention to audible and visual clues to help us get to know someone better. You've heard that your audience must know, like, and trust you before they will consider doing business with you. They get to know you through your written content and your social media presence. They may like what you have to offer and what you're sharing. They may even be impressed by your expertise. But earning their trust enough for them to pull out their wallet can be a challenge. That's where your face and your voice come in. We pick up many clues when we hear someone's voice and even more when we see them speak. That's why audio and video messages are so important in your marketing. Don't be afraid to use them. Start with audio if video feels intimidating. You can start your own podcast or offer to become a guest on other people's episodes. The big bonus benefit of the latter is that you get in front of your host's audience, giving you additional exposure. Of course, you want to share it with your own community as well. I generally don't recommend outsourcing certain tasks to my clients until they are a little more advanced, or have been in business for a while for two reasons: Page 4The first question is, "How do I get testimonials?" You have two options. You can wait for them to come in, or you can ask for them. I recommend you take the more proactive approach and ask your customer base for them. If they love what you do, they'll be happy to share their experience of working with you or using your products. The Trust Blueprint: Consistency, Connection, and Beyond Using Testimonials to Build Trust Here's a question for you? Who do you trust more about what movie to watch? A commercial on TV, or a recommendation from a friend who's seen the movie? The friend probably wins every time. Why is this the case? Because it isn't an ad or marketing message. It's a testimonial for the film given by someone who doesn't have a vested interest in selling more tickets. That builds trust and makes you more likely to go and see the movie. It also illustrates why testimonials are so important and powerful when it comes to your business. Another fun audio option is to ask your newsletter subscribers or social media followers to ask you questions. Take a few minutes each week to record your answers and share them far and wide. You can do the same with video. Q&A's are a great place to start. You can teach your community how to do something or talk about a topic of interest to them that's related to your products and service. You can do this as a Facebook Live, post it on YouTube, or engage on Instagram. Even better, do all of the above. There's so much you can do with the tech you already have. Start with your smartphone and give it a try. Pick one video or audio strategy and expand over time. Here's a bonus tip. If you can combine consistency with a video message by sharing a weekly video for example, you can grow your audience's trust even quicker. And by asking them to like, comment, and share, you'll grow your reach and your audience. It's a powerful strategy you should give a try without delay. Page 5 HowTo Get Testimonials? Key Takeaway: Embrace Multimedia: Use audio and video to create a more personal connection with your audience.The Trust Blueprint: Consistency, Connection, and Beyond What Should You Include in a Good Testimonial? You want to use the person's name. You can make a direct request to ask for testimonials from clients or customers. Many times, existing and past customers have shared something positive about me on social media, and many times I forgot to take a screenshot. Don't do that! It's an unsolicited testimonial, which is the best kind. Some customers will send you a testimonial via email. It's a good idea to ask if you may share what they told you in email and also if it's okay to use their name. I encourage you to ask for permission. Don't assume because they sent you a glowing testimonial in private that they're okay with you posting on your website and other places for public view. Depending on your niche and audience, you may want to use their full name. This is particularly important if you are in a biz-to-biz niche and the person is someone your other customers will recognize. Otherwise, a first name and last initial will suffice. Adding a location is a nice touch and makes the testimonial look more credible. Having a photo of the person giving the testimonial increases trust. Video testimonials are especially effective because viewers are watching as the person speaks about their experience. Where and How Can You Use Testimonials to Build Trust? Where do you use these testimonials? Everywhere you can. Your Homepage and your About page are great places to start. Anything specific to your products and services should go on the sales page and you can easily add them to the bottom of your sales page. It can make a big difference in converting people who are on the fence about purchasing to click the buy button as it provides social proof about the value you offer. On social media testimonials are a great way to drive traffic and mention your product without seeming too pushy. Share a few per week and rotate through them, sharing them again and again. Ready to give it a try? You probably already have some testimonials that you can use. Look through your emails and comments on social media. Ask permission to use the email or comment in your marketing. If it's something like a Facebook comment, take a screenshot. Page 6The Trust Blueprint: Consistency, Connection, and Beyond How would you like to know about a strategy that instantly builds trust and keeps your customers happy enough to brag about you to everyone who will hear them out? It's simple under-promise and over-deliver. This goes for everything you do in your business from sending emails and posting on social media to delivering your products and services. Why It Pays to Under-Promise and Over-Deliver When you under-promise and over-deliver, it gives your customers a positive experience with you. Most consumers like getting something they bought a little sooner than expected. And who doesn't love a little something extra? Think about the last time you bought something from Etsy. Many sellers will throw in a little gift. Some stickers, a notecard, a pen... It's a fun surprise and something that makes for a better experience. That's what you want to do with every part of your online business. How to Do This with Content Get into a routine with your emails from day one. For example, you could share with your subscribers that your newsletter will come out every Wednesday. Step one will be to make sure that it goes out every Wednesday like clockwork. Thankfully that's easy to do with the scheduling feature any good autoresponder service has. Then occasionally, maybe once a month or so - pop in with something extra. Or give them something they weren't expecting in that newsletter. A product, a bonus, a printable. Repurpose things you already have to make this quick and easy. For an email testimonial, ask if you can use the person's name and a location like town name or state for example. Ask for a picture to use with the testimonial, but don't be afraid to use it without. From there, get into the habit of asking for testimonials and keeping an eye out for unsolicited one and use them anywhere and everywhere you can. It'll go a long way towards building trust and social proof with your target audience. Page 7 Under-Promise and Over-Deliver Key Takeaway: Leverage positive feedback to boost credibility and attract new customers.Accept that You're Not Perfect No one is perfect. Accept that you're not perfect and while we should do all we can to avoid mistakes in our online businesses, things can go wrong. How you handle mistakes is what will make you stand out. It's also an important strategy for building trust with your prospects and customers. Your reputation is important but more so online because there is no filter. You want to be known as someone who sticks to their word. And when you make a mistake, you should admit it and then do whatever it takes to make things right. Technology will fail you. You'll overlook something. It happens. Don't beat yourself up. Let's look at some of the things that can and will go wrong. The Trust Blueprint: Consistency, Connection, and Beyond Admit Your Mistakes and Make Things Right Howto Do This withYourPaidProducts and Services Most importantly, over-deliver your products and services. Always give yourself a cushion when it comes to delivering. It's better to deliver early than late. The same goes for the content. Don't advertise everything included. This way you can position the extras as unannounced bonuses. This will give your customers more value than they expected. Always be on the lookout to give your audience a little something extra. Something unexpected that will make their day and create a memorable experience. Not only will they be happy but they'll be happy to become brand ambassadors for you, spreading the word about the extra mile you're willing to go. Over-delivering and building goodwill with your customers helps when on occasion you can't meet a deadline, or you make a mistake. It happens. We've all messed up a product delivery or missed sending out an email we promised. When you over deliver on a consistent basis, you have built up enough of a cushion and more importantly enough trust with your audience that they will forgive you without a second thought. Page 8 Key Takeaway: Exceed Expectations: Always aim to deliver more than promised, surprising your clients positively.