What makes you credible?
It’s not your knowledge!
It’s your social proof and what others say.
It’s published content, followers, trusted names and case-studies
It’s also about your network - who else you bring to the table
Your brand is what makes you credible. It’s what others say about you that counts that’s why Google is a good metric.
Let me explain…
Things people INCORRECTLY do to increase their credibility:
Studying/knowing a subject deeply
Pursuing an advanced degree or certification
Working for companies that have built great reputations
Racking up awards or credentials
but…
Neuroscience suggests
It’s not a logical and rational decision, it’s about pleasure!
I’m sorry to break it to you if you thought your credibility was based on your impressive credentials on LinkedIn. But your credibility is based on how you make people feel.
Your brain evaluates risk, confusion, pain, and the amygdala will send fight, flight, or freeze messages into their nervous system, judging you to be more or less trustworthy. It asks whether it will enjoy what your offer. If you seem pleasant to be around and/or offer something of enjoyment, their brain will release dopamine into their body, causing them to feel good. As a result, they’ll associate those positive feelings with you, which will increase your quality of being trusted and believed in.
This sounds like branding doesn’t it!
Your audience scans your content and asks:
Why should I trust you?
What do you solve for me?
How do I feel?
Do I want to find out more?
Designing authority is a process of leveraging your story, skills and knowledge to solve a customer pain.
Credibility = trust
Threats to credibility are:
you’ve not been in the game long enough, and you’re still working out “who you want to be when you grow up”
you’re not specialised enough (your generalist work in the industry obscures your brilliant specialties)
your public presence doesn’t stand out and is outdated
you sit on the fence and don’t stand for anything.
Authority is taken, not from hard work.
You can’t buy authority, or fake it. But you can leverage the authority you have, and improve the way you communicate your authority. You can claim your corner of the market and begin to carve it out.
Authority is your social proof and what others say about you. It’s made up of published content, followers, trusted names you partner with, testimonials and case studies.
To build an authority business means focusing on your areas of greatest specialty, while constantly building credibility.
Want help standing out?
In our Designing Authority workshops, we’ve refined how we quickly tap into what you stand for and how you increase your presence. Want to find out if you fit our Designing Authority workshop?
Grow from ‘meh’ to MAGNETIC
Align your expertise with your customer’s needs to become a world-class brand
Become your industry’s go-to expert. Join the expert consultants who have repositioned their brand, clarified their message and attracted high-value clients with an irresistible offer and a magnetic brand all within a month. HOW? Ask Jason Knight or schedule a 15 minute call to talk through any questions.
