In every aspect of our lives, we thrive on connections built on know, like and trust. This is especially true in the Alternate health and wellness niche. Hundreds of companies and influencers are sending messages to potential prospects daily - and that could include yours.
Everyone seeks to connect with others. Despite being in the midst of our modern population, we feel more disconnected than ever before. We seek to connect with others who we feel are “like us.” People who share our interests, needs and understand our deeper desires.
That means they need to get to know us, like us and most importantly, trust us. They have to feel we have something they need. They have to feel we will stand behind our words, our promises and have their best interests at heart.
If they’ve never heard of you, they need, in those very critical first seconds, to determine you might be able to help them in some way. They need to get the impression you aren’t there to rip them off.
For women shopping in alternative health and or wellness, this might be how they look. They want to feel they are staying desirable. They want to feel secure and competitive in their career, social and personal situations. A lot of that boils down to self-confidence and self-image.
If we want to connect with the prospect and help them solve emotion based issues, we have to help them feel we are safe to interact with and do business with.
Humans have been making those kinds of decisions instantaneously for thousands of years. It was necessary for our survival. If someone came to the entrance of your cave, you had to determine who they were quick. Maybe a friendly tribesman, an enemy tribe wanting to conquer you, or maybe a hungry wild animal.
In milliseconds you had to decide whether to invite them in or prepare to fight.
Even though we no longer face saber-tooth tigers, the instincts are still there, running on autopilot.
We judge by what we see/read. Images, words, arrangement and whether all the messages we take in feel right. If there are incongruities…we immediately have our guard up…danger, danger.
Can you think of an example that immediately puts your guard up?
How does the proverbial used car salesman make you feel?
Your gut reaction to “robo”-calls?
What about someone that comes across threatening or sleazy?
Remember the Cher song, “Gypsys, Tramps and Thieves”? She was born in the wagon of a traveling show. Her Grandpa sold bottles of “medicine.” Her Mama danced for change and serviced the men at night.
People used them, but they didn’t like or trust them. There was no connection, no friendship, no loyalty… it was only basely transactional. They probably insulted or ignored them the next day, if they ever saw them again. It wasn't a happy life.
You don’t want people to feel that way about you or your product/service. To get the right message across you must consider your total image and how you establish the connection.
You want to stand out as a safe haven for your prospects. In every way you interact with them, you need to make all messages match. Congruity of style and content is crucial to creating that feeling of safety with you.
Make yourself easy to find. If they can’t find your business or your web page… you’re not really in business.
Make it easy for them to communicate with you. Nothing puts people off quicker than a website, social media post or email that doesn’t let them contact you EASILY!
Put contact information out there so they see you are a “real” company. It’s amazing how many companies don’t offer a phone number or even a general location.
Many special offers end on Friday or over the weekend. Imagine yourself in your prospect’s position. You want to take advantage of the offer, but you have questions. And there is no one to answer their questions on weekends or even normal Friday business hours.
I had this happen recently. I wanted, no needed, to repurchase a product. But the special offer they sent me didn’t populate on the order form. There was no way to get it and their offices were closed at 3PM CST. That’s one in the afternoon here on the west coast. I went ahead and placed the order and messaged them.
Never got a contact back nor any offer of helping me out. They sent the order without the discounts promised. They probably won’t get another chance because my trust factor plummeted. Don't let this happen to you.
Introduce your team and let them build confidence in your brand and who is there to take care of them. Share success stories and real customer testimonials. People believe what other people share.
Educate prospects about your product and how it can help them. “Infotainment,” should be easy to read, friendly, informal, but backed up with good solid proof so they feel validated in a buying decision.
Offer them something in a way they see real value for taking their time to consider it.
The more you educate and share value, the more they build trust with you. The more they trust you, the more they will open up and want to buy.
Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, your website, sales letters, blogs, articles, or email…They should all project the same tone and feeling.
Think of it this way. You met a nice person and enjoyed time with them over coffee. The initial connection came out really well and you decided to go out to dinner. When you met them for dinner, they looked and acted like a very different person. Dress, language, image all nothing like your coffee friend.
Your warning bells would be going off like crazy.
It’s the same thing in our relationships with customers and prospects. We need to present consistency to build our credibility with them. This is necessary to help them know like and start trusting us. And as returning customers, we need to get the support that is the hallmark of every good business.
If you want to see a great example…look no farther than Disney. They have built-in these factors in spades. Every connection in person or otherwise sends the same message: friendly, warm, inviting, genuine. You know them, like them and trust them to deliver.
Every new touchpoint we create with the prospects needs to carry on the same theme. Know, like and trust me. I can help you and I will stand behind what I say.
How good are your know, like and trust factors? Think they are great? Wonderful.
Not sure how you stand? Message me and we can take a quick look and evaluate. If necessary, tweak them to enhance your KLT factors.
Judith Culp Pearson receives three top honors
at the annual Society of Permanent Cosmetic Professionals in
Ft. Worth, Texas - October 7-9, 2023
