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Do your clients see you as a selfish money-grubber?
Tell them how you help them solve problems — not who you are.
We’ve all heard of the “know, like and trust” factor. People have to know about you. They have to like you. And they trust you.
I’ve heard people say they trust you when they see you as a person. Ultimately they like you so much they want to be you. If they see you as a selfish money-grubber, well…
Yes, people buy from people they like. Unfortunately, the people we like are often not the best people for the job. I’ve hired people I consider friends. It never works.
Of course, I won’t put up with rudeness or with someone who’s hard to work with. But that’s different from liking them.
So the know, like, and trust model may not be the one you follow.
(1) The model doesn’t work if you’re selling a service that’s not a business service. For instance, suppose you’re an accountant or an interior decorator. Your clients don’t want to be like you. My accountant is super detail-oriented. An interior decorator would look at my apartment and shudder.
(2) Just because someone’s nice doesn’t mean they’re competent. After you’ve worked with someone and realized they’re an expert, you may want to know more about them. But if they’re not competent, who cares?
