Trust and value are not connected. That’s what I thought when looking though a recent infographic in a LinkedIn report that, “86% of buyers say seller expertise drives trust, but just 45% say they trust sellers. Value builds trust.” It sounds good. But it’s not right. Trust is the ability to predict what will happen in situations of uncertainty. Value is providing information or resources that help someone make a decision. You can see that they are related. But they aren’t the same. You can have a friend that you can’t trust because they always flake on you. But that same friend, when then do show up for you, could bring ideas, experiences, or opportunities that are awesome. The opposite is also true. So what should you actually be chasing: Credibility. That’s when you can be trusted to bring value to someone. It’s when you connect the two. That might sound obvious, but it���s not as easy as it sounds. Because trust requires showing up consistently over time. Value requires you to have something useful to say when you show up. The newest LinkedIn algorithms are trying to boost value. Whether or not they are doing that, they are certainly making trust-building more challenging. Because it’s harder to show up for the same people over and over. So be strategic and intentional with your work here. Build credibility by being present regularly through your posting and commenting. Because if you are showing up to your network of prospects and customers… well, out of sight, out mind. Becky S. Brown Puni Rajah Kicki Bjorkvall
Always good to distil down to a 2x2 😅 Thanks, David J.P. Fisher, for this week's WW headline. In a feed-driven environment like LinkedIn, the leaders who win are those who treat visibility as a system, not an event.
Value builds interest. Trust builds belief. Add time, and build credibility.
Credibility is where I’ll put my efforts and attention.