The Edge Marketing

Business marketing is essential for professional services, such as consultants, coaches, speakers and trainers.

Creating trust with prospects and clients is essential. How do you do that?

A Reader's Digest survey has found burns specialist Dr Fiona Wood is Australia's most trusted person, followed by singer Olivia Newton-John and Tasmanian-born Crown Princess Mary of Denmark.

The survey is in its fifth year, but for the first time asked a statistically representative sample of 756 people who was the most trusted person out of a list of 100 well-known Australians.

"The better known you are, the more important that ability to instil trust becomes. But as our first Most Trusted People poll shows, you don't have to be running for prime minister to be put to the test," said the article published in the June edition of Readers Digest.

Interestingly women often do better than men.

For example, Prime Minister John Howard's wife Janette (at 74) is more trusted than her husband (85), while model, mum and charity patron Sarah O'Hare (43) is well ahead of her husband, media executive Lachlan Murdoch (93), and Home and Away starlet and mum-to-be Bec Cartwright (59) also is more trusted than her partner, tennis player Lleyton Hewitt (73).

"If we don't know someone personally, we'll judge based on whatever information we know about them at the time," said Body language expert Alan Pease in the article.

In terms of professions, ambulance officers, firefighters and mothers were the most trusted, while politicians, car salesmen, real estate agents, psychics and journalists are the least trusted.

Fathers came in at 8 and life coaches at 20, after domestic cleaners at number 17. Consultants, trainers, speakers and authors weren't listed.

So whatever line of work you are in, how can you get noticed and be trusted? Here are my Top 10 Tips:

1. Be Involved In Community Service.

Offer your time, expertise and skills to those that need it most, community or not-for-profit groups. Not only will you feel better, you will be noticed more and trusted. According to Dr Fiona Wood: "Every patient I treat is an inspiration."

2. Network.

Network with others to increase your circle of influence.

3. Ask For Help, Introductions or Referrals from Your Trusted Circle of Influence.

Nothing will get you noticed and trusted quicker than asking for help to get known and meet other people.

4. Get a Coach or Mentor.

A coach and mentor can fast-track your career, keep you accountable to your goals and give honest, independent advice.

5. Join or Set-up a Mastermind Group.

Link up with others who have a similar goal, passion or purpose in life.

6. Have A Professional Photograph Taken.

If you want to be noticed and trusted, people need to see your face. Have it done professionally and have both digital and hard copies available.

7. Write An Article.

Share your unique knowledge, expertise and insights in an article. This could be a trade magazine, local newsletter or opinion piece for a major newspaper. Keep to around 600 words, ask someone to edit it for you and include a photograph and contact details at the end if appropriate.

8. Give A Presentation or Speech.

Public speaking or running a seminar is the quickest way to get noticed and trusted fast. There are thousands of community, business and industry groups looking for speakers everyday. Overcome your fear and turn your unique knowledge into an entertaining story with some take home lessons for the audience.

9. Be Quoted In The Media.

The media has big impact because of its mass appeal. It is the world's largest database and will reach people you can never duplicate with a direct mail campaign. It also delivers credibility through third party endorsement.

10. Write a Book.

A commercially published book by a big-name publisher is the fastest way to build credibility, trust and be noticed.

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