Part 4 – What is trust? The CATT Blueprint
Hi, it is the Enabled Entrepreneur with the fourth in this five part series explaining what I mean by Trust. If you have enjoyed all the Facebook Lives on this so far, here’s another I did about Trust several weeks ago. It has been viewed 859 times.
What is meant by Trust?
If you have read the three previous posts in this series you will know by now that each part is integral to the other. The key thing to remember is you must begin by analysing yourself first and then seeking to build each skill so that you form genuine and long-lasting relationships with your customers. Trust is a term that is heard throughout day to day conversations. However, it means different things to different people. I often hear a customer say “I think Trust is an important value that I must have”.
But when questioned deeper as to what it is that they really are seeking, it is often Security. They want to Trust another person so that they feel more secure in whatever endeavour they are undertaking. In the 6 years I have been running my business, Trust is the one personal value that I hear repeated by customers as something they must have.
So why is Trust vital in Business?
If you haven’t already heard me say this before or worked this out for yourself, people buy people first and what you can do for them second. Think about it. Even when you are making an online purchase on Amazon, you are judging the Integrity of the seller. You are suspicious of the one that is cheapest. We all know that saying, ‘if it looks too good to be true, it probably is’. Another more cynical version is ‘there’s no such thing as a free lunch’. So this applies to a business arrangement we might make online, but is it any different when meeting customers face-to-face? The simple answer is no! In fact, we need to now also add whether or not Rapport has been established using Empathy.
First impressions are lasting and do count, contrary to what some people say. “No I am non-judgemental” – really? Far too many people are not honest about what they really think and this can be picked up by another person. So being able to find and nurture relationships in any business is vital. Its not just about your relationship with potential or existing customers, but those who can really propel your business to the next level. This might be potential business partners or those you form a Joint Venture with. If you cannot be perceived as Trustworthy, then you are going to struggle to make your business into a success.
Customers might use expressions like I trust them, they are not to be trusted, they are not trustworthy. I believe that Trustworthiness is something that is perceived by others, but to varying degrees. You see if you are targeting customers who have ‘Shared Values’ with yours and your business, relationship building is much easier. Successful business owners choose to work with customers where there is a commonality of lived experience. They know how their customer ticks, they “get them”. This means they understand their needs, wants and desires. Have you ever noticed how you find some people really easy to talk to and others just seem like hard work.
So what’s next?
Now I have been uncovering the background of each element of the C.A.T..T. Blueprint. In my next Post I will explain how you can analyse yourself against each element so you are able to start building much more effective relationships in your business and truly Empathise with your customers needs, wants and desires so you have raving fans knocking down your door to do business with you.
“Generalists seek customers, experts are sought”
Chris Catt
Enabled Entrepreneur its a mindset you might already have it