The Trust Factor: Why Expertise Isn't Enough

That means they need to see your content, read your insights, hear your perspective, or interact with your brand at least seven times before they'll trust you with their money, business, or important decisions. 

​

Most entrepreneurs think one great sales conversation should do the trick. But by the time someone gets on a call with you, the trust-building should already be done. The sales conversation is just the final confirmation of a decision they've already been making. 

​

​

The Four Pillars of Business Trust 

​

Trust isn't built through one big gesture – it's built through consistent small signals that accumulate over time. There are four types of trust signals you need to master: 

​

1. Expertise Signals 

​

Credentials, case studies, thought leadership content, speaking engagements, media mentions. But here's the key: don't just list your qualifications. Demonstrate your thinking process. Show how you approach problems, not just that you can solve them. 

​

2. Social Proof 

​

Evidence that other people like you trust you with their important stuff. Testimonials, client results, referrals, social media engagement, industry recognition. 

​

The magic isn't just having social proof – it's having social proof from people your prospects can relate to. If you're targeting small business owners, testimonials from Fortune 500 CEOs might actually work against you. 

​

3. Consistency 

​

The trust signal most people ignore: showing up reliably over time. Consistent content, reliable communication, predictable processes, regular value delivery. 

​

Example -  A business consultant struggled until she started sending a weekly "Strategy Spotlight" email with one actionable insight. Prospects began reaching out saying, "I've been reading your emails for months, and I finally have a project that needs your approach." 

​

Consistency builds familiarity, and familiarity builds trust. 

​

4. Relatability

 

Shared values, similar backgrounds, or demonstrated understanding of their specific world. It's the "this person gets me" factor. 

​

Example - A real estate agent struggled with high-end listings until she repositioned herself around "luxury homes for busy executives." She started creating content about balancing demanding careers with family life. Her ideal clients didn't just see her as qualified – they saw her as someone who understood their unique challenges. 

​

​

How Different Clients Build Trust Differently 

​

Understanding how your ideal clients' customers build trust helps you serve your clients better: 

​

If you serve coaches or consultants, their clients need expertise and relatability first. Help your clients showcase client transformations and demonstrate their methodology. 

​

If you serve product-based businesses, their customers need social proof and consistency. Help your clients build systems for collecting and displaying customer feedback. 

​

If you serve professional service providers, their clients need expertise signals and referrals. Help your clients position their qualifications and systematize referral processes. 

​

​

Building Your Trust Ecosystem 

​

Instead of hoping trust happens randomly, create systematic touchpoints: 

​

Weekly value delivery: Regular content that demonstrates your thinking and helps your people make progress. Blogging is particularly powerful here – you can link to relevant blog posts from Pinterest, emails, or social media to drive traffic and showcase your expertise consistently. 

​

Behind-the-scenes transparency: Show your process, share your mistakes, let people see how you actually work. 

​

Client success stories: Not just testimonials, but detailed case studies that help prospects envision their own success. 

​

Consistent engagement: Respond to comments, participate in conversations, show up where your people gather. 

Predictable communication: If you say you'll follow up in two days, follow up in two days. Small reliability builds big trust. 

​

​

The Trust Audit You Need to Do 

​

Map your current touchpoints. How many times does someone interact with your content, brand, or insights before they hire you? Is it enough? 

​

Evaluate your trust signals. Do you have all four pillars covered? Which ones are strongest? Which need work? 

​

Check your social proof. Are your testimonials and case studies from people your prospects can relate to?

 

Test your consistency. Are you showing up reliably, or sporadically when you remember? 

​

​

Your Trust-Building Action Plan 

​

This week, choose one trust pillar to strengthen. Don't try to fix everything at once. 

​

Create one piece of content that demonstrates your thinking process. Not just what you know, but how you think through problems. 

​

Reach out to a recent client for a specific testimonial. Ask them to describe their situation before working with you and what changed afterward. 

​

Audit one trust signal. Is your LinkedIn profile building trust or just listing qualifications? Do your testimonials speak to your ideal clients? 

​

​

The Foundation of Everything That Follows 

​

Trust isn't built in sales calls – it's built before you ever meet. When someone finally reaches out to work with you, they should already be convinced that you're the right person for the job. 

​

Your expertise gets you in the conversation. Your trust signals get you hired. 

​

The entrepreneurs who seem to effortlessly attract ideal clients aren't necessarily more qualified than you. They're just more trusted. And trust, unlike expertise, can be systematically built. 

​

What trust signals will you build this week?