Successful Blog

  • Home
  • Community
  • About
  • Author Guidelines
  • Liz’s Book
  • Stay Tuned

Influence: 7 Keys to a Trust Network that Will Grow Your Business

April 9, 2012 by Liz 24 Comments

IRRESISTIBLE BUSINESS: A Trust Network

The Strongest Networks Thrive on Trust and the Truth

cooltext443809602_strategy

Last September, a man I admire and respect gave me what is possibly the highest compliment of my business life. We were speaking of filters and sharing information, when he said …

Even those who see the world differently, trust you to tell them the truth.

Good news, bad news, exciting developments, dire warnings — Data is simply information.

Information is nothing if we can’t trust it.

Without information we trust, we can’t move without risk.

7 Keys to Trust that Will Establish Your Business, Your Brand and Your Reputation

One of my most popular interactive presentations is called “Who’s Telling Your Story?” It outlines a clear strategy to enlist and inspire a deeply active community of fiercely loyal fans who spread your story and protect your brand. The first key point in that presentation is to know your story and to build your network before you need it.

But not all networks are equal. The network that builds a business, a brand and a reputation is connected by deep trust and consistent behavior.

That trust network is not simply a contact list, a customer base, or even a team of people who love the company and it’s customers. That trust network is people who tell our best true story, move to action when we ask, and protect us from threats. A network like that doesn’t happen by happy accident. It takes deep commitment, consistent trustworthy behavior, and relentless focus.

Here are the 7 Keys that attract the people who will join your truest trust network and bring their fiercely loyal friends.

  1. Identify and hold true your deal-breaker values — the qualities that define you.
  2. Communicate your goals and intentions. Let people know the why behind the what you’re doing.
  3. Make and keep promises and commitments to yourself, your team, and your larger community.
  4. Anticipate needs. Don’t assume others’ needs are what yours would be.
  5. Be aware if you offer treat people differently and know why you do. Those of us who care know, do you?
  6. Own your actions and their impact. Apologize quickly, well, and concisely for bad judgment, bad behavior, and bad math.
  7. Tell the truth … as gently or as firmly as the people and situation suggests you should.

Think of your best bosses, your best teachers, the best team you ever were on, your best friends and coworkers, how many of these seven did / do they have? How much better would they have been / be, if your answer was all seven?

To build a community network that brings you information you can trust, do all 7 for the people who love you now and the word will get out faster, easier, and more meaningfully than any story you might tell.

Start by doing the first with a vengeance. Then get moving on the second. As you do them, notice how the way you see your business changes and the they way people respond. Move sure and slowly. Keep all 7 Keys in the decisions you make and notice how your decisions become more focused and how those decisions attract people you trust.

The value of information is in how much you trust the source.
The essence of influence is trust.

A reputation of trustworthiness is a barrier to entry that’s hard to cross.
A trust network of people who share that trust and act on it — employees, volunteers, vendors, partners, customers, shareholders, advisors, friends, family — amps that barrier up exponentially to irresistible.

How will your own trust network that will grow your business and your brand?
Get started.

Be irresistible.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz on your business!!

Buy the Insider’s Guide to Online Conversation.
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Filed Under: Business Life, Community, Successful Blog Tagged With: bc, Community, influence, LinkedIn, network, reputation

Comments

  1. steveplunkett says

    April 9, 2012 at 9:50 AM

    Fabulous article.. very true… we have hired people from the “trusted network”.

    Reply
  2. Anne Thomas says

    April 10, 2012 at 8:32 AM

    Thanks Liz 🙂 Most excellent advice!

    Reply
  3. Slavica. says

    April 10, 2012 at 8:33 AM

    Love what you write. Started a blog about starting an Empire. http://attractitude.wordpress.com/
    Yes, I want to follow those rules you prescribe and actually do up to now.

    Reply
  4. Andreas Wiedow says

    April 10, 2012 at 8:37 AM

    Please educate me on 4) Anticipate needs – on which level (IRL / online) and to what extend ?

    Reply
  5. James Duckett says

    April 10, 2012 at 9:11 AM

    I loved #7, honesty is always the best policy.

    Could you explain #5, I’ve read it thrice and I still don’t understand…

    Reply
  6. Charlie Perkins says

    April 10, 2012 at 9:19 AM

    Great article Liz! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  7. Roger Anderson says

    April 10, 2012 at 9:46 AM

    We feel we are too small to have a network – maybe that is self-fulfilling

    Reply
  8. Bill Lazdowski says

    April 10, 2012 at 10:09 AM

    #2 is one that I have difficulties with. I’m usually either too concise or too in depth. Finding the happy medium eludes me often.

    Reply
  9. Andrew Cranston says

    April 10, 2012 at 10:13 AM

    Thanks Liz!

    Reply
  10. Ed Nix says

    April 10, 2012 at 10:17 AM

    Great advice Liz – consistent trustworthy behaviour – how true it is.

    Reply
  11. Rich Bradford says

    April 10, 2012 at 11:24 AM

    As always, another great article, Liz!!

    Reply
  12. jRuth Kelly says

    April 10, 2012 at 12:27 PM

    All good, 1 to 7 and right in there with what we need in everyday living.

    Reply
  13. Liz Hall says

    April 10, 2012 at 2:58 PM

    Awesome advice as usual! Thank you and have a fabulous week!

    Reply
  14. Tom Royce says

    April 10, 2012 at 7:40 PM

    Great post Liz!

    Reply
  15. Randy Talbot says

    April 10, 2012 at 9:14 PM

    Very good, I agree!
    Am I reading it wrong or missing something – should the statement “A reputation of trustworthiness is a barrier to entry that’s hard to cross” say a “reputation of untrustworthiness”?

    Reply
  16. Srivatsan says

    April 10, 2012 at 11:49 PM

    Simple, straight to the face article. Thanks so much for sharing such a great read.

    Reply
  17. JP says

    April 11, 2012 at 3:35 AM

    Thanks Liz you are right

    Reply
  18. DET says

    April 11, 2012 at 3:37 AM

    thanks Liz,

    this is what I see as well.

    Telling the true is giving much more….

    DET

    Reply
  19. Wayne Mansfield says

    April 11, 2012 at 4:04 AM

    I like number 4:

    Anticipate needs. Don’t assume others’ needs are what yours would be.

    Reply
  20. Jeroen says

    April 11, 2012 at 5:12 AM

    Thanks Liz, very interesting post. I’m not sure if #4 contributes to Trust, but it’s definitely important for any business to act accordingly. Like James I don’t really get #5, which may be because English is not my native language – or is there a typo in there? I do agree that it’s important to be cautious when offering different services/terms to different people/businesses. That should only be done when there’s a very clear and transparent explanation to that.

    Reply
  21. Tim Pixley says

    April 11, 2012 at 6:33 AM

    Much of it has to do with proving that one has character and integrity. Given the plethora of media options, it’s easy for many people to pose and be charlatan these days.

    However, time has a way of exposing one’s character and integrity one way or the other.

    Reply
  22. Alex Zmushka says

    April 14, 2012 at 3:59 PM

    Successful networking is not possible without those two fundamental things: trust and truth! You are so right Liz (as usual 🙂 ) Thank you for the post!

    Reply
  23. Priya Kamble says

    April 16, 2012 at 2:40 AM

    Thank you Liz,
    Very interesting post..Thank you for sharing this post..

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recently Updated Posts

How to Build up Your Career by Showing Off Your Uniqueness

How to Build up Your Career by Showing Off Your Uniqueness

How to Know if Your Marketing Strategy is Working

How to Know if Your Marketing Strategy is Working

3 strategies for achieving business growth

Three Strategies for Achieving Business Growth

Build a foundation that will grow with you

Build a Foundation that Will Grow with You

Should Computers Have Warning Labels – The Disgraceful State Of Computer Safety

Why Your Company Is Chasing Too Many Bad Sales Leads

Why Your Company Is Chasing Too Many Bad Sales Leads



From Liz Strauss & GeniusShared Press

  • What IS an SOB?!
  • SOB A-Z Directory
  • Letting Liz Be

© 2022 ME Strauss & GeniusShared