Building face-to-face relationships in this digitally saturated world is going to be the key to long-term success, especially as AI continues to dominate conversations.
Why Trust Beats Price
I’ve been in business for over ten years now, and while there have been a lot of struggles, what I have learned is that because I have a genuine desire to build authentic relationships with people, and when they get to know me, the price for my services actually took a back seat because they confidently conclude that they can trust me. If it comes down to saving a thousand dollars with someone I don’t know versus paying that extra thousand to someone I know and have an existing relationship with, guess what? That thousand is nothing compared to an excellent experience and high-quality work that I know awaits me!
Face-to-Face as the Foundation
Online meetings can work, but when you make the effort to physically be where your potential clients (or good contacts are), meet them face-to-face, be yourself, and have genuine conversations with the intent of building connections, the return may not always be immediate, but it’s an incredible investment. There are business owners and decision-makers who think that if they spend X amount of dollars on marketing in the digital space, customers will come flocking. Digital efforts cannot exist in a vacuum; they are an extension of relationships built in the physical world!
Using Testimonials to Build Trust
Businesses should leverage the relationship they have with existing customers to create video and written testimonials. Highlight the before and the after, and detail the pains your business solved, capture genuine emotions and expressions of gratitude. When you create a story around your customer, not a fake story but one that’s verifiable, it is easier for prospects to relate to that story, which can assist in building trust. The pictures, text, and videos you capture transform into the digital assets you feature in your online marketing efforts.
Concluding Thoughts
Authenticity is key to building. You can’t “fake it till you make it”. You can only present a curated image for so long. Instead of wasting that effort on something fleeting, why not use it to showcase the real you? You can’t please everyone, and not everyone will be your customer. So, get out there, and start connecting face-to-face with people, and build trust, an investment that guarantees great returns in the long run!
If you’re a business owner or decision-maker and this post has resonated with you, and you would like to know how your business can have increased trust with your audience, Mustard Seed IT can help.
Book a discovery call or reach out to me on LinkedIn so we can figure out the way forward together.