There is a lot of discussion around the topic of being known, liked, and trusted. You hear these buzzwords every day on social media or in internet articles, and they are indeed crucial for any successful business. However, before we delve into the importance of each of these elements, we must first understand who our audience is and what their needs are.
Many individuals fail to determine their customers' needs and instead try to sell a product based on the creator’s perceived value rather than how their customers will perceive the value. It is imperative in business to identify who your audience is—this is the first step. Then, you must determine what their pain points are and how you can provide a solution for them. People won't buy from you unless they feel that your product will solve their problem, no matter how good your product is. Trying to sell gasoline to a person on a bike is fruitless; the gasoline has no value to them.
So, how do we determine the needs of our audience? We do this by listening, observing, surveying, and scanning our audience, and then developing more of what meets their needs. We need to research our area of expertise and who might need our product and why. Too often, I see people going through the motions on social media or other business practices without understanding that they don’t have an audience or they don’t know who their audience should be. You can post, email, text, or create videos all you want, but if you aren’t providing a solution to someone else’s problem, no one will be buying.
Let me give you an example. If you write a book on the proper way to grow a garden, the audience would obviously be those who love gardening, want to grow their own garden, or want to do it better. The audience has a need, and they will exchange their money for the perceived value of learning from your book.
So step one is to determine your audience and the need they have!
Now let’s move on to being known, liked, and trusted. What does each one mean? Let’s dive in with practical applications.
Known: How do we make ourselves known? This is accomplished by being in front of people on a regular basis. The more they see you, the more they know you. This can be achieved through social media, blogs, videos, and other content marketing techniques. We are trying to establish our Brand Identity and thus how people perceive us. It is equally important to be consistent across all communication platforms. People must feel that you are the same person on video as you are on social media and in person. I see this every day in the real estate industry; it is easy to distinguish individuals who have excelled in building their Brand from those who have no brand at all. This principle applies to every business type. Violating your brand consistency can lead to suffering, even in the short term.
It is also important to be consistent in the content you put out. Your message must always be rooted in honesty and a genuine desire to help others. You have heard the phrase “Content is King”? This was penned by Bill Gates in an essay he wrote in 1996, and it is as true today as the day he wrote it. Make sure your content reflects your mission and your brand.
Liked: There are two main points here—being authentic and providing value. Authenticity means being transparent about your goals and what you hope others will gain from your product. By sharing your stories and values, you build a relationship with your audience. They come to see you as genuine and relatable. It isn’t necessary to share all the private details of your life, but it can be helpful to share the lessons you’ve learned and how those lessons changed your life.
Provide solutions to individuals who may be experiencing the same difficulties or challenges. We are here to be a resource to the world in our specific area of specialty. By first relating to those going through similar experiences and then providing the lessons we learned, we will be liked for our authenticity.
Trusted: Trust cannot happen without being known and liked. If people don’t know you and like you, there is no way they will trust you. But once we are liked, people will begin to trust us when we show consistency and reliability in what we offer. Our content must be consistent in its message and tone. It must also be based on sound principles communicated in easy-to-understand ways. People want to feel they can depend on you and what you’re offering them. Trust can be built through social proof, including testimonials, public reviews, video interviews, and being a guest on someone else’s podcast.
I challenge you to take a few minutes and review whether you are meeting the consistency of your content. Have you built a strong brand? Are you authentic in everything you do and say? Are you providing value to others? Are the principles you talk about evident in your own business and personal life? Lasting success comes first from being someone who can be liked, known, and trusted. Aspire to these qualities, live them out in your business life, and others will be drawn to you.
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