28 More Ways to Build Trust and Credibility on Website.

FRANK SONNENBERG ONLINE

28 More Ways to Build Trust and Credibility

By Frank Sonnenberg

(This blog is a continuation from “27 Ways to Build Trust and Credibility” posted on October 12, 2010.)

Whether you’re a teacher earning the respect of your students, a politician persuading constituents on the issue of the day, a salesperson pursuing the trust of a customer, or an employee building credibility among peers . . . trust and credibility matter. Here are a couple of thoughts to keep in mind:

1. Always tell the truth or the truth will tell on you.
2. Surround yourself with people who have a high degree of integrity.
3. Your actions “off-stage“ (i.e., at an office party or on Facebook) impact your trust and credibility.
4. Typos and grammatical errors loom larger than life.
5. Remain transparent. (You’ll never be faulted for communicating too much.)
6. Never ask someone to do something that you’re not willing to do yourself.
7. Reliable and consistent behavior on your part allows people to anticipate what you’ll do in the future.
8. Do what’s right, even if nobody is looking.
9. You are judged by the company that you keep.
10. Your actions must match your words.
11. Being an expert in one area doesn’t make you an expert in everything.
12. Admit when you’re wrong.
13. Don’t submit unfinished work as complete.
14. Never confuse quantity with quality.
15. Think before you open your mouth.
16. People who “hard sell” don’t always have the facts on their side.
17. You gain more by making others look good than by singing your own praises.
18. Trying to be excellent in everything leads to mediocrity.
19. “Everybody does it” is a poor excuse for doing it yourself.
20. Words spoken in confidence are words spoken in trust.
21. Learn how to disagree without being disagreeable.
22. Repeating a rumor is as vicious as starting one.
23. People will test you in small ways before trusting you outright.
24. The only thing worse than talking about others is talking about yourself.
25. Great talent means nothing if you’re not dependable.
26. Few people will fault you for being tough, if you’re fair.
27. It’s not only what you bring to the table but how you serve it.
28. REMEMBER, trust and credibility take years to develop but can be lost in seconds.

For a poster version, please click here.

Additional Reading:
Creating Trust: A Step-By-Step GuideHow to Build Trust: Creating the Foundation
The Values on Which Trust Rests
Trust: How to Earn Someone’s Faith

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