WHAT IS KNOW, LIKE, AND TRUST AND HOW DO WE BUILD IT ONLINE?
You’ve probably heard about building “the know, like, and trust factor” with your community, customers, and clients.
Butttt, how on EARTH does one actually build know, like, and trust?
What even does that MEAN!?
Often mentioned in the marketing world, “know, like, and trust” (KLT) is vague and elusive (at best) and not many are explaining how to take actions that build it.
In this episode of Content with Character, I’m going to break each element of the know, like, trust factor into tangible action steps to get you on your way to building it with your people right away.
What is the Know, Like & Trust Factor?
Know: This is people knowing YOUR business exists and understanding what you do. This is about clarity and visibility. People can’t choose to work with you if they don’t know you exist.
Like: We tend to, especially when working with service providers, purchase from people we like. Buyers often want to feel a connection with you. This doesn’t mean you need to share all your personal information, it doesn’t mean you need to be every client’s best friend, but you might consider sharing your personality, values, or style in a way that invites them to like you. This is about building rapport, reliability, and relationships!
Trust: Finally, people need to trust you. They want to trust you’ll deliver what you promise, trust that your expertise is solid, and trust that you’ll treat them like the gold they are. Trust is the foundation of business and loyal customers. Without trust, people may hesitate to move forward with you, refer you to others, work with you again, etc.
Why Does Your Business Need the Know, Like & Trust Factor?
Know, like, and trust go hand in hand and are essential to building a successful healthy businesss.
People don’t just buy products or services—they buy solutions from businesses they feel good about, have an emotional connection with, and TRUST to help. When you’ve earned all three, you’re not just another option; you become the choice for your ideal clients.
Sounds AMAZING, right!?
It is.
4 Ways to Build the Know Factor
- Be consistent in your content: Where you choose to show up and be, be there regularly. Don’t just show up when it’s time to talk about yourself and promote! Share valuable, informative, and consistent content on platforms where your audience hangs out (social media, blogs, podcasts, etc.).
- Be where your people are: Engage with your people where they ARE, even if that means being selective in where you’re focusing your time.
- Focus on quality over quantity: Focus on providing consistent value, not just random content. Make sure you’re letting people know about who you are and what you do.
- Collaborate! Guest blogging, podcast guesting, joint events and working with others is a great way to build your know factor.
4 Keys to Building Like
1. Be authentic and honest. Share your behind-the-scenes, your wins, your failures, be clear and upfront about your process and offerings and prices when clients ask.
2. Share personal stories! These can help show the human behind your business and create relatable, likable moments of connection.
3. Engage and interact with others. You know one thing people like a whole lot!? When someone else takes an interest or gets curious about THEM! The days of posting and ghosting are long in our wake. Engage, interact, respond to comments, DM’s, and open up actual conversations with others! Comment on THEIR stuff as much as you create your own. Shining a spotlight on others is a huge way to build LIKE because it’s collaborative and give-give.
4. Provide value in an entertaining or uplifting way. When we create things that are enjoyable and feel good, or inspiring to others, they feel good and want to be a part of what you’re creating! Negativity is for sure contagious and so is positivity and laughter. Spread the latter.
4 Elements of Building Trust
- Deliver on Your Promises. Be clear about what you offer and always deliver what you promise—consistently and without fail.
- Share Social Proof. Testimonials, case studies, reviews, and user-generated content help build trust. People love to see other’s opinions and real results.
- Share what you know freely. Share your expertise and insights regularly. This builds authority and positions you as a go-to source of reliable information in your field.
- Honor Commitments. Whether it’s a scheduled post, an email series, or a promise made in a sales call, follow through. Reliability creates trust.
- When working with clients/customers, be transparent about mistakes. If something goes wrong, admit it, and show how you will fix it. People respect honesty and accountability.
Speaking of know, like, and trust! Allow me to introduce myself…
👋🏼 Whalllleeeee, hello there! Let’s Connect!
I’m Emily Aborn, I’m a Small Business Copywriter, Content Marketing Consultant, Speaker, and Podcast Host of Content with Character. I’m a dog mom to Mr. Clyde and wife to Jason. Our little family lives in the backwoods of New Hampshire where I spend my time hiking, building fires (in the wood stove, don’t worry!), reading, and learning all the useless trivia I can get my hands on.
Email: emily@emilyaborn.com
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