Recent research shows that consumers tend to trust content from people they trust.
People they already know well. People they already trust.
As a small business you will probably be making the most of all the low cost marketing methods. You probably have a newsletter even if it is just a roundup once a quarter or once a month. Add to that all the other forms of marketing available today from short update comments on social media, to blogging, your website, running a webinar, having a podcast, and of course your own “TV channel” via You Tube or another video site.
It all adds up to a lot of content. Ideas, views, opinions, advice and most frequently – answers to problems, or solutions to problems that are being experienced by your ideal clients.
Need for more proof.
This research is heartening in one way. We are becoming more cynical. We don’t believe people who put on a white coat and tell us they are a doctor, we are likely to want to proof that strangers who appear to have the answer really know what they are talking about. We need to see proof of what they can do, and furthermore we need to know they can help someone like us. We disbelieve a comment from Mr and Mrs DC London, or J.S. Tonbridge Wells – we want to know that these are real people who have been helped.
Do our friends, family members and work colleagues know best?
Looking at the research another way it is information, and advice from friends, family members, peers and work colleagues that is most trusted. The only problem with that is that in this fast-moving world our traditional network may not have the answers we are looking for, simply because they have not faced the problem we have. We may need someone who has been through this problem and come out the other side. Would you a
Take the problem of divorce. You may get support from family and friends but you are likely to need up to date advice from a specialist lawyer on your particular situation. What this research indicates is that advice from family and friends is more likely to be trusted than advice from a lawyer.
So if you are the lawyer – or the specialist of any kind – how can you extend your network so that you become known, liked and trusted?
Make your content friendly and be approachable.
I suggest you take heart from this research and make sure that your content is framed in a way that is friendly and approachable. Being knowledgeable is only part of the reason people choose to work with a specialist.
Grow your network.
Remember people ideally want to hear from someone they already know. The more people you know, the greater the chance that your next client will be referred to you by someone they do know. Perfect. The more you can focus on your ideal client who knows other ideal clients the more effective your marketing will be.
Ask for referrals
Ask your successful clients to mention you in future. A little prompt can make all the difference. If they do refer you of course, thank them or show your appreciation in a personal way. A simple thankyou may be enough, or a hand-written card, or you can reward them financially. If they have had a transformational experience with you they may prefer something more personal than money.
Go forth and multiply
Getting your message out to new people is a question of making sure you can be seen in all the right places. After a while they will feel as if they know you, and the barrier of you being unknown starts to break down. Start a newsletter, or write a new one, decide to commit to a form of marketing that appeals whether it is a blog, a vlog (video blog), an audio where you talk rather than write and have fun with it. Just remember your ideal client would rather hear what you have to say from somebody they already know, so make it easy for them to think that they do already know you!