Know, Like, and trust. The first time I heard these three words together like this was from Justin Lukasavige over at CoachRadio.tv. He was talking about how if you want people to buy services from you then they need to know, like, and trust you.

I have since seen this phrase in various books and blogs discussing marketing and sales.

Why? Because it’s true. Especially if someone is going to pay for a service you provide, such as consulting or coaching.

Let’s break this down.

Your clients need to know you.

If people don’t know that you’re offering a service, how do you ever expect them to buy from you? If you just decide tonight in the comfort of your own home that you’re going to start offering a service to the world and don’t tell anyone, how do you expect them to know about it? Yet many business owners are doing the equivalent of that. They decide to offer a service, put up a website, then sit back and wait for clients to come.

To get people to know you you need to be talking about what you do. Get online and start combing through forums and other blogs and start being helpful. Provide them answers in their area of need and also let them know that you are offering a service that can address their needs as well.

People need to like you.

This is the one I personally have the most problem with. Why? Because I’ve always said I don’t have to like someone in order to work with them. We just have to be able to work together without our personal differences getting in the way.

But let’s be honest. Isn’t it much easier to work with someone who you like? Isn’t it a much more enjoyable time if you’re surround by people you get along with and care for and are interested in? I think so.

You might be asking, “Well how do I get someone to like me then?” My two cents, just be you. Be the man or woman that God created you to be. By doing this you will turn some people off. But guess what. You’ll also turn the right people on, the people you’ve dreamed of working with.

Just being me is exactly how I operate A Better Way of Business. Some people really don’t like my over the top energy levels, some people don’t like my bluntness, some people don’t like the fact that I can’t spell and have horrible grammar. And I’m OK with that. There are thousands of other people out there ready, able, and willing to help you that have the personality you’re looking for. Please, go see them.

But I believe there’s just as many people out there who like my personal pecuilarities, and will want to do business with me because of them.

So my advice for all of us trying to get prospective clients to like us is just be true to ourselves.

People need to trust you.

I’m big on trust. If I don’t trust you then I don’t want to work with you, I don’t want to talk to you, I don’t even want to be friends with you. Just keep moving, please.

To me, trust is all about doing what you say you’re going to do. That’s how you build it too. If you say you’ll respond to an email by tomorrow, then you better respond to that email or be dead or in the hospital. If you say you’ll keep information confidential, then it better not be in a tweet later today. If you say you’re going to make a video everyday for 90 days, guess what?! You better make those videos. Whether you feel like it or not.

There you have it. If you want people to buy your services (or products for that matter) then they better know, like, and trust you.

~Ivan