Building trust is an absolute necessity in business. If you want people to buy a home from you, they need to know, like, and, most importantly, trust you.
After years of running marketing campaigns for over 100,000 businesses (yes, you read that right!), I’ve identified four strategic ways to build that critical trust with your ideal prospects.
Let’s dive in.
1. Showcase your accomplishments
Have you ever sat in an audience eagerly awaiting a speaker, only to hear a long list of their achievements before they even step on stage?
There’s a reason for this: people trust authority. When a speaker’s accomplishments are highlighted, it gives the audience a reason to listen closely.
The same principle applies to consumer behavior.
Think about it: how often do we make purchases based on endorsements from well-respected figures? Dave Ramsey’s recommendation of Trusted Ramsey Professionals is a prime example. You trust because of all that he’s accomplished, so you’re more likely to trust the professionals he endorses.
Your marketing should reflect similar credibility. Share your accolades, such as how many clients you’ve served, how many years you’ve been in business, and any awards you’ve won. This can be as simple as adding this information to your Instagram bio:
For instance, if you are a brand-new real estate agent, lean on your brokerage and use the “royal we” technique when working with potential clients. Though you may have just started, your brokerage has been serving hundreds, or even thousands, of clients for many years, so those facts can help give you the credibility you need in your marketing and presentations.
2. Feature client testimonials and reviews
Accolades are important, but nothing beats the impact of genuine client testimonials. When you’re browsing for a product on Amazon, what do you check first? The reviews! Quantity and quality matter, which is why you’d likely pick the product with thousands of 4-plus-star reviews over the one with just a couple hundred.
Potential clients are looking for this same proof—in their world, a strong star rating backed by numerous positive reviews speaks volumes. It demonstrates that others have done business with you and been satisfied with your work, thus tipping the scales in your favor. Don’t hesitate to collect testimonials and display them prominently on your social media pages and website, since they can become your strongest selling point.
On our StayPaid podcast, we recently spoke with my brother Stephen, who runs Acree Brothers Realty in Lynchburg, Virginia. During our conversation, we discussed how their team has become the most reviewed one in the area, and what specific techniques they used to collect those testimonials.
3. Leverage partnerships
This underrated method can be a significant trust-booster. If you want to move quickly, go it alone. But if you want to go far, collaborate! Build greater trust by association.
This means finding like-minded professionals who are already well-established in their communities and collaborating with them to reach a wider audience.
For instance, if you’re a local real estate agent, partner with businesses within your network, such as mortgage brokers, home inspectors, or insurance agents. By working together, you not only gain credibility by association but also reach the clients each of you already trusts. It’s a win-win!
An easy way to do this is to go live on your social media and invite your collaborator to your livestream. When you go live, your followers will be notified, and when they go live with you, their followers will be notified.
4. Provide educational content consistently
The same can be true for you. You want consumers to desire to learn from you, not just view you as a transactional figure.
Creating and sharing educational material related to your field positions you as an expert and builds rapport with potential clients over time. This can lead to deeper trust. Consumers are likelier to buy from someone they see as knowledgeable and reliable over the long haul.
An easy hack to help you come up with content is to write down your FAQs. What questions are you asked day in and day out about the market, homes for sale, and mortgage rates that you can use in a video, write a blog about, or create an infographic on?
One of the best things I did for my business, ReminderMedia, was creating our podcast StayPaid. Each episode focuses on a different aspect of sales and marketing, which is what I want to be known for and how I help people.
That podcast not only feeds my content for social media, blogs, emails, and so much more, but has become one of our biggest brand builders.
The hardest part about building trust through education is that it takes time. You can’t just post one video, write one blog, or film one podcast, and expect the world to see you as an expert. For three years, almost no one listened to our podcast, but we kept going, and now, eight years in, it’s the best brand builder that we have.
The bottom line
In today’s market, where trust is more fleeting than ever, you can’t afford to overlook these strategies. By showcasing your achievements, leveraging customer testimonials, building partnerships, and sharing educational content, you can nurture the trust needed to convert prospects into loyal clients.
Start implementing these principles today, and remember the difference between top producers and mediocre producers is that top producers take action!
Take Action on one of these strategies today!
