Marketing is all about getting people to know, like, and trust you. It sounds simple enough, but it can be tough to keep going when there’s no way to measure! There’s no way you can know how people are feeling about you and your brand, especially as a lot of people choose to follow your content in silence. For example, they enjoy your posts or emails, but don’t reply, comment, or “like”. It’s so hard to keep going and to keep showing up when you feel like it’s not landing on the other side.
If you aim to get clients online it all starts with that relationship. Which admittedly, it’s a relationship that feels one-sided when you’re not seeing the typical numbers grow.
Know, like, trust: Practical tips
Know: Visibility
Letting people know you exist. This is all about creating awareness of you, your brand, and your services. You can use social media, content marketing, networking events, public speaking, optimizing your site for search engines, collaborations, press features, advertising… The list goes on. There are lots of ways to raise awareness, but the best tip here is to choose a method that suits your personality so that you can do it consistently without burning out. And to get more specific, show up in places where your ideal client spends time. “Get in the right rooms” as they say, so that you’re getting in the way of the opportunities you’re looking for.
Like: Rapport
Once people know you exist, it’s time to get them to like you… Professionally that is.
This means building a rapport and establishing a connection. Be transparent in your approach, and let your audience get to know you BUT make sure you have boundaries in place to protect your own privacy. There’s a difference between your true personality and your “persona”. More on this another time, but essentially, you don’t have to share every detail of your life if you don’t want to. Being open and honest and bringing in a generous splash of your personality is great. It’s your choice how much of yourself you show.
Let folks meet you, but try to find your own balance between personal and professional.
I meet a lot of people who want to look “professional” without really putting thought into what that actually means. Professional can mean distant sometimes. It can mean taking yourself out of your communications. I really believe that you can be professional and still have a personality. It’s actually easier. Nobody ever jumped out of bed in the morning to meet a “professional”. They’re more likely to be motivated by a human being who “gets” them. Remember, it’s about connection.
Trust: Credibility
So much business happens online without ever meeting in person. It’s fabulous! I get clients from all over the world, without leaving my cozy office. But I’ve been on the other side of buying services online. I turn into a stalker when I consider investing in an online service. I want to make sure the person is trustworthy and that other people can vouch for them.
In a previous post, I talked bout building trust and using content to prove that you are who you say you are and can do the things you claim!
Showing your face is a great start. On your site, on social, and on video calls. When all of your online touchpoints show YOU, it’s clear that you are who you say you are.
Sharing your qualifications and accreditations is pretty important too if you’re offering health-related or sensitive services. You can share logos of institutions, certifications, and qualifications with relevant codes and links. Share this in a nice visual way. A long CV-style list can come off as boring, so integrate it into your site, socials, and even your email signature.
Sharing case studies and testimonials from real people. Getting text, or better still video testimonials and peer reviews all help support the claims you make and help people trust you. Google reviews, Facebook reviews, LinkedIn recommendations, Trustpilot, etc. These all help people believe that you are the real deal because they can’t easily be faked.
If you haven’t collected reviews and testimonials from clients yet:
Start today! In the meantime, you can get “character witness” style testimonials, from past colleagues, former or current coaches and mentors, peers, and business buddies. It’s a great way to get started while the client testimonials start rolling in. They’re busy people and it’s rare to get spontaneous emails. You have to ask.
I ask past clients to use this questionnaire. It helps them figure out what to write and I get a testimonial that shows the value of the work. (Feel free to copy mine 😉 )
But, despite knowing all of this stuff already, showing up consistently is still hard going.
Consistency is key in building relationships so that people know, like, and trust you… and become clients. It’s annoyingly true.
Keep going.
Even if your social media following or mailing list isn’t growing as quickly as you’d like, keep going. Keep showing up and providing value. If you’re consistent and strategic about it the results will come. Relationships don’t come from one viral video or one single post. It takes time and empathy, persistence, and patience.
Keep going.
If you want help showing up consistently, check out my content creation service here.