People allow themselves to become victims and easy prey for scams for a number of reasons , including greed ( the desire for easy money ) and FOMO ( fear of missing out ). “ Get in early ” is the mantra of many investment scams .
But at the core of scams , the biggest reason people get taken , stems from the desire to find a TRUSTED AUTHORITY to make tough decisions for them — a shortcut to actual due diligence .
That ’ s why strategically designing your marketing and sales process to position yourself as a trusted authority is hypercritical , outweighing differentiation , price , and service propositions by far . If you don ’ t trust someone and don ’ t see them as a legitimate authority on the topic on which they are advising you , you aren ’ t going to sign a contract with them . I don ’ t care if they ’ re the cheapest , most convenient , or offer the best terms ( no contract , no money down , easy outs , etc .).
What Actually Fuels Trust There ’ s a lot of misplaced trust in the world .
Madoff was successful at pulling off the biggest Ponzi scheme in history for two reasons . First , he had credibility . He started and grew Madoff Securities , which was , at one point , the largest market maker of the Nasdaq , and in 2008 was the sixth-largest market maker in the S & P 500 stocks . He was active with the National Association of Securities Dealers and served as chairman of its board of directors .
The second big factor in his ability to swindle people was his affinity with his targets . The majority of victims were people like him : rich , Jewish business owners living in New York . They trusted him because he was LIKE them . In fact , Joan Rivers was quoted as saying she was “ the only Jew in New York ” who didn ’ t fall victim to his charms . Trust + Authority = Influence .
To be clear , in no way am I suggesting you should use scam-artist strategies in your marketing . You cannot sustain a successful company on the back of snake-oil sales techniques . However , if you combine known “ trust hacks ” with legitimate , honest , and ethical business services and practices , you can grow exponentially .
Question : What are you strategically doing to bolster your credibility and authority status with prospective clients ?
What boards or associations do you sit on ? What organizations have recognized you as an expert ? What tangible , measurable results or outcomes have you been able to consistently achieve for your clients ? What are you “ famous ” for ?
Most haven ’ t ever given this any thought and don ’ t have the goal of being a “ trusted authority ” in their marketing and advertising plans ; however , once I pose this question , many start to realize that they are lacking in this critical area , even though they are trustworthy , credible experts . As I ’ ve often said , people don ’ t know how good you are until AFTER the sale ... before they buy , they only know how good your marketing is .
So , here ’ s the next natural question : What factors contribute to someone being seen as a trusted authority on their topic ?
Some of the most common answers I get to this question are education , degrees , certifications , and years of experience . The problem is , while they are a feather in your cap and do contribute to being seen as a credible expert , they are nowhere near sufficient to become THE leading authority and most trusted expert for your target market .
Here are some signs people attribute to someone being a trusted authority :
• They have published a book ( s ) on their area of expertise .
• They are recognized by other leaders and authorities as credible .
• They publish white papers , articles , and research .
• They are asked to speak at events .
• They are interviewed by media outlets and key podcasters .
• They own media , such as a magazine , news station , TV show , etc .
• They have a large , public social media following and presence .
• They are “ slightly famous ” in their niche , industry , or market area .
• They produce ( or are very well-versed in ) data and statistics .
• They are known by a large number of people for a specific topic .
How You Get Introduced Matters
Another critical factor of positioning yourself as a trusted authority is HOW prospects get introduced to you . To put it simply , first impressions last .
Not all marketing and “ getting your name out there ” works in your favor in positioning yourself properly and building trust . Prospects will NOT be easily taken from your competition simply because you sent them a “ flyer ” or because they saw your post on social media . In fact , some marketing methods and media will work against you .
When Groupon first hit the scene , thousands of businesses signed up for what seemed like a cheap and easy way to get more customers and clients . However , many businesses suddenly realized that the type of customer they brought in
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