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Your dream client stumbled across your business.
It’s game time!
Whether they found you on social media, your website, or by a referral, how do you build their trust without ever having met them?
While the social proof of a referral gives you a BIG leg up in this stage, there is still an inkling of doubt. Potential clients want to feel 100% safe in their choice.
There are three things you need to pay attention to in this stage:
- Are you consistent in your branding?
- Are you empathetic to their pain points?
- Are you positioning yourself as an expert and allowing potential clients to see your genius?
It all boils down to that “like, know, trust” thing we have all heard time and time again.
Brand Consistency
Whether or not you are consistent in your branding determines if potential clients feel like they know you. Inconsistency in branding makes your brand unrecognizable and your content disassociated from your brand.
You want your brand colors and brand voice to scream out your business name at anyone scrolling through their feed. They need to be able to instantly recognize that the content is from you. This is when they know you.
Fun Tip: Have a mascot. The inspiring ladies over at Thanks for Visiting have chosen a pineapple as their mascot. If you are from the southern states, you know that a pineapple is a symbol of hospitality. Which speaks volumes about their company values. As educators for short-term rental entrepreneurs, these ladies preach hospitality first and always. Every time I see a pineapple, I think of them. Genius!
Empathy
Do you know your future client’s pain points? What are they struggling with? What is their ultimate goal? What do they hope to accomplish from working/learning with you?
Show them you care about their struggles. This way, they know you understand their stress. Be genuine. Nothing is worse than disingenuous “care.” And nothing will kill their trust in you faster than feeling like they have been lied to.
Expert Status
Listen, I have no doubt you know your stuff. But you need to show your future clients that you do. So don’t be afraid to give away a little value.
A great way to do this and not steal the magic from your offer; is to share everything you know about “the what” and “the why” behind your services. The “how” is reserved for your clients. By this, I mean tell your audience what you do and provide. Tell them why it benefits them and how it will improve their lives. But save the “how to do it” for your paying clients.
By positioning yourself as an expert in your field, you strip away the inkling of doubt your potential client may have and invite them into the trust phase.
