Every day, as you drive around town, you see contractors working on new and existing commercial and residential buildings. There are numerous trucks with company name signage. Do you recognize these names? Do you trust their expertise, workmanship, and customer relations? If you are a business, how do you gain the credibility and trust of the community?
In the past, plumbers and other trades people earned the credibility and trust of the business community by joining a variety of longstanding civic organizations, including the Rotary, Kiwanis, and Chamber of Commerce. They gained the trust of their customers through referrals by fellow tradespeople and word-of-mouth recommendations from other customers. But this approach may be changing with younger people entering the trades, who have been raised on social media and the Internet and may not be as interested in joining these organizations.
Steve Labbe notes, “There will always be groups out there because of the common interests people have. For example, groups like the BNI (Business Network International) and Kiwanis continue to be of interest to business people. The BNI has chapters all over the country. Everybody needs access to groups like these because it takes between 5 and 12 touches for people to be willing to work with you. Gaining credibility and trust to do the job right takes time.”
Steve says he practices a model that is promoted by BNI: Visibility, Credibility, and Profitability. To be successful in delivering services to the community, he feels that a business must follow this workflow. He points out, “People need to see you and connect your face and name with your business name. Your credibility is gained by delivering on what you say you will.”
Steve adds, “I always thought when you met somebody you were ‘visible’. But that isn’t necessarily true. You meet them, but the next time you see them they probably won’t know your name or be able to connect you to your business and what you do. So, you need to build on this ‘invisibility’ so that after you meet them, they truly know who you are, what you do, and that you are right for them. This creates credibility and trust.”
The key is consistency. Steve says, “I have been doing this for 34 years. Real estate and plumbing go hand-in-hand. I have tried to be consistent in what I do: I have been a Kiwanian for over 10 years and in the BNI for over 11 years. Being consistent: showing up on time, keeping your word, serving and helping, and showing integrity. These have been the key to my success.”
