I was asked this question after speaking at a national conference in Los Angeles, CA . As I listened intently, I was trying to assess:
- How bad is the situation?
- How is it impacting her life and career?
- Can she rebuild where she is or does she need to redesign and start over?
Whatever the situation, I knew at the core credibility and trust were lost. If you aren’t getting the response you want and deserve, then you have trust issues. It’s simple: people don’t trust you and we all know what happens when a relationship has “trust issues.”
Do you want to become a trusted resource? For whom? Are you fighting to gain the trust of a person or market? If so, you have to build your credibility with them. Credibility is earned by living up to your brand promise.
Like any relationship, brands are built on likability, marketability and credibility. Do you bring consistent, reliable and honest value? Perhaps, what you are saying isn’t being perceived as honest. Maybe your behavior is inconsistent, or you’re just not perceived as a likable, trustworthy person.
Regardless of your challenge you first have to pinpoint where you are. Ask yourself these questions:
- Am I believable? Does my brand package match my mission and message? Or am I on the hustle trying to get something from people? When the wrong thing drives you, you’ll get the wrong response.
- Am I honest? Do I have evidence of my ability to do what I say I can do? Is my message being communicated in a way that connects, engages and prompts a response? People like to feel like they are dealing with a person of integrity who has their best interest at heart.
- Am I trustworthy? Do I return calls in a timely manner, follow-up and meet deadlines? Do I have focused and consistent message? Am I trying to be everything to everyone and I’m failing to be anything to anyone?
If you need to rebrand or redesign and relaunch your business or career, consider my online program UnBottle Your Business Brand or pick my book The Bridge to Your Brand Likability, Marketability and Credibility.
Copyrights All rights reserved. 2018 S. Renee Smith. My website is srenee.com.