How Much Is Trust Worth?

The Client Letter
November 5, 2012
Sedona, Arizona
Sunny 45 Degrees

A week or two back, I had a very interesting order hit my inbox.

Now you might wonder how an order could be “interesting” and so I’ll tell you.

This customer, a well known marketing expert, actually bought a product of mine TWICE.

Once at like $47 I think and once again after the price had just about doubled.

I sent him a quick email (I don’t always catch this, but in his case, he’s a friend and I recognized his name) and let him know.

Here’s what he said:

“To be honest I just buy ANYTHING you come out with without question.

I assumed it was new and didn’t even read the sales letter. I just hit the “order” button without reading a word.

That speaks to how much trust I have in you and how good your products are.

Keep the money and feel free to use this story/testimonial in your marketing.”

And so I have… thank you Mr. Mystery Customer!

(For the curious… here’s the product he bought TWICE.)

As Dan Kennedy always says, shortsighted business owners get a customer to make a sale. Smart ones make a sale to get a customer. I used to think the former. Now I realize how valuable it is to do the latter.

Once you attract the customer (or client), do your best to build trust.

Trust doesn’t mean you’re perfect, trust doesn’t mean you don’t screw up in major ways, trust is something you earn and then care for over a long, long time.

How do you build trust?

I think the answer to that is a messy one, just like a lot of answers to important questions.

Here are some suggestions:

Be who you are… don’t quit… take responsibility for yourself and be OK with people finding out you’re not perfect.

It’s liberating. And that FREEDOM is attractive.