With the growth of social media platforms, online communities and groups of every description, it’s absolutely essential to do all you can to build trust.
Something as simple as a good profile picture can make a huge difference between someone trusting you… or not.
Think of when you look at social media profiles. Who are you likely to trust more… the people behind the profiles with an actual head shot and robust profile or the profile with no head shot and sparse information? The answer is obvious, yet many people don’t set themselves up for success. They assume that a partially completed profile is sufficient.
I’ve got news for you, sufficient is not good enough. If anything, it’s substandard.
Put Effort into What You Do
Take a look at the snapshot to the right from a podcast community I belong to. Who are you more inclined to want to connect with, the people who have their head shot or those with a “filler” image? Again, the answer is obvious. So why is it that people don’t take time to go beyond the obvious?
As a podcast host and featured expert on a wide array of podcast shows, I am able to quickly build trust based on a few factors. I’m easy to find on various social media channels and a quick Google search brings up ample proof I’m a bona-fide expert. Here is some of what I do.
- I’m incredibly active in a few select groups as well as social media.
- I blog on a regular basis.
- I complete my profiles to make them as robust as possible.
- I use an image on ALL my profiles.
- I have a robust website.
I’ve had people tell me how lucky I am to have a great deal of opportunity “show up” on a regular basis. The fact is, luck has very little to do with it.
The more visible you are, the more value you create, the more you position your expertise, the more opportunity you experience.
Take time to complete your profiles. Once you do, get involved by contributing high value content. This can be the difference between success and lukewarm results.