Think fast – what’s the most valuable commodity any business can possess?
No, it’s not a good product. And we are also not talking about valuable employees. Funds, investments, good equipment, a good office, these are all important, even vital. However, one element trumps them all – credibility. Without credibility, people won’t look at you twice. What’s the point of amazing services, high-quality products, a Harvard and MIT educated team, when nobody wants to do business with you?
In order to succeed, you need credibility behind your back. Below you can find our top 7 ways you can build credibility.
Give 120%
So, you got your start-up up and running, you paid for it in blood, sweat, and tears. Now, we come to the real work – going above and beyond for every project. Whenever people hear your name, you want them to think – this is the person who gets stuff done. In order to build credibility, you should always aim for 120%. Now, we use the term “aim”. You will not be able to give that much every time, but just aiming so high will give you, and your client, amazing results.
Be genuine
Trust us, industry professionals, veterans with decades of experience can smell a faker a mile away. Too many young entrepreneurs just brag, they throw around big words, get too much out of their depth, and just end up embarrassing themselves. Don’t act like you have decades of experience, because you don’t.
Rather, try to be genuine and honest. Show yourself as a serious person who is more than willing to learn and to advance. Furthermore, don’t impress clients with your fancy vocabulary, your watches, your jewelry, but rather, impress them with your expertise, your CV, and your references.
Deliver, always
Doing business with a young entrepreneur who is still building credibility is a risk. People simply don’t know whether you will deliver what they want, on time, and in the right capacity and quality level. So, you need to prove yourself. You need to deliver consistent, constant results, every single time.
Every single fiber of your being should be infused with the mantra, with the idea that you will always deliver, no matter what. Respect deadlines like your life depend on them, stick to the standards that you yourself set for yourself (which are hopefully higher than standards of your clients).
Confidence is quiet
Confidence is not boisterous, loud, and brash. These are all signs of an insecure person who can’t stand people not noticing them. It’s knowing the difference when you have to contact some professional commercial litigation lawyers because of a genuine slight or offense, and when you are just being a loudmouth. It’s the difference between throwing a hissy fit when things are not going your way, and actually staying detached from the situation and getting it under your control. It’s you controlling the circumstances, or at least accepting them, versus fighting against the tide and letting them control you.
Show them you are an expert
You have to show people that you are an expert, that you know your industry well. Credibility has to be based on something, after all. That something has to be your knowledge, your expertise, and your hard work. Knowing your industry well, and showing it, means you can actually do your job right.
Now, in order to do this, you need to figure out, above all, to know what you are talking about whenever you are pitching a product, service, or idea. Every single phrase, acronym, and detail needs to be burned into your brain. Not only that, but understanding how and why things are done is also vital. This means you need to navigate all the complex lingo and jargon when speaking to people in your field with decades of experience over you. However, this also means that when you are dealing with clients, you need to be able to explain your work in layman’s terms.
Stay humble
No matter how much work you have, no matter how successful you get, you need to stay humble. We understand that you are an entrepreneur, that you worked hard to get here, and that you have a solid amount of talent and success behind you. However, that doesn’t mean you can just grow a big head. Or rather, you can do so, just understand that it will get you into trouble. Being a big fish in a small pond probably got you here, and kudos to you. However, arrogance will just lead you to lose sales and losing respect and credibility in the eyes of your peers and seniors.
Mingle with the right people
Finally, if you want to build credibility, you need to be seen with the right people. In fact, you want, and need, to network and communicate with your seniors, with veterans in the industry. If you are seen speaking with high-level people in your field, if people notice that you have the respect of these people, this will cause a chain reaction and can lead to great results and the building of your reputation. Just remember to not suck up, but actually, take into consideration the points above.
And there you have it folks, the top 7 ways you can build your name. Always keep in mind how important it is to carry yourself properly. Be confident and stable, not volatile and loud. Try to network with the right people, and keep yourself humble. Give your all, and then give some more, and stay professional at all times. Finally, remember that you have to be patient.
Building credibility is a marathon, not a 100-meter dash.