It is an often repeated rule that people buy from those whom they “know, like and trust”. That phrase is easy to remember and sounds great as a tweet, but what does that really mean? How do we do that? How might we connect with more people and become better known? How is it possible to be more “likeable”? How do we build real trust with those whom we seek to serve?
How To Become Known as an Architect
In order to know more people and to have more people know us, we need to intentionally connect with others. We need to build a network of friends and followers both online and off. We need to find ways to meet more people within our target market or those who may be connected with that most important group.
The only way to know more people is to put yourself out there to be known. You will not make the connections that lead to more work by sitting in front of your iMac detailing crown molding. I know it’s sad, but it’s true.
Put on your networking hat and find local live networking events in your area. But be selective. You don’t want to waste your time and effort connecting with people who are not within or will not lead to those in your target market.
Look beyond the obvious. A local chamber of commerce networking breakfast may look like tables of businesses seeking connections with other businesses, and you may be a residential architect. What good is that?
In fact, it may be very good. That B2B group may be the perfect place to find your next residential client. Each of those businesses are run by people who own homes within your region. One layer down, that event may be the perfect place to plant your seeds.
Clubs and memberships are also great ways to connect with others. The price may be high for entry, but if the other members are “your people”, one new project may pay for the privilege of membership.
You may also consider organizing your own event. Create a free seminar or invite influential people to an exclusive “happy hour” where you may become the connector.
There are also many opportunities to connect with people and become known online. I’ve written about the power of blogs and social media before. Become active online, find your prospects and share your knowledge. Give away your secrets and reveal the recipe to your “secret sauce”. You will very quickly make connections and become known as the authority in your market.
How To Be More “Likeable”
This one is a bit more difficult. We are who we are. Can we really be more “likeable”?
Likeability has much to do with confidence and body language. When we speak with authority and hold our heads high, we become more attractive. Please note that I am not referring to overconfidence or arrogance. There is a level of confidence that begins to result in the exact opposite effect as we desire.
This takes practice. Many of us architects are introverts and prefer to stand in the corner when given the choice. We shy away from any opportunity to interact with others. I know this first hand. I am a life long introvert. Confidence is often learned.
To become more confident and feel better about being the focus of attention, put yourself in uncomfortable positions. Volunteer to speak in public on a topic which you find interesting and for which you have passion. Do it often and in time, the fear will lessen and your confidence will increase.
With more confidence and more pride in your presentation skills, the effects will spill over into your everyday life. You may find that you will be friendlier to strangers and connect with others you don’t know on a daily basis. People will want to speak with you. You will attract those with whom you want to interact. You will become more likeable.
Oh… One other quick tip. Smile more. It works.
How To Build More Trust
Trust building for any business is about telling your story and building your brand.
Brands are about crafting the story that you want your market to hear and see and share. Your website, your letterhead, your business cards, your employees, you… Everything that is experienced by your prospect must be telling the same story. A clear story will build a powerful brand and powerful brands, over time, are trusted.
Trust is earned. It’s not something you can buy. With each touch point, each conversation, each time your story is experienced and shared, the level of trust is increased.
Your greatest ally in building your brand and earning trust is a happy client. Leverage the relationships you have developed during the design and construction administration phases. Request and promote testimonials. Ask them to be references for new prospects and encourage them to refer you to their friends and neighbors.
And how do you ensure a happy client? Do great work and serve them well. Over deliver and under promise. Be “remarkable” with all you do and your clients will be more than happy to “remark” and spread the story of your brand.
People buy from those whom they know, like and trust. Remember this rule and you will soon be turning more prospects into projects.
Question: How are you connecting and becoming known?
Photo Credit: Shutterstock / lassedesignen
This is a great article. I find that many architects struggle to network effectively and efficiently, and that leads to frustration and they give up or keep repeating the same mistakes hoping for different results.
Below, I’ve added some additional insights from my “Networking for Introverted Professionals” and my “Networking with Purpose” presentations.
On becoming known…
Don’t attend random events, this is a huge waste of time. As an architect, your time is extremely valuable, so make sure the events you are attending will produce results.
Know your audience. Use common sense when choosing the right events to attend.
If you are a residential architect, realtor and contractors associations often hold social events you can attend. Building your network and relationships with these people will help keep you top of mind the next time they have a client who needs an architect.
For commercial architects, ULI, BIA, and Local Economic Development events are where you are likely to find business leaders and developers who may need your services.
The key here is to know where your audience hangs out and show up to those events.
On being more likable…
There is a simple, but perhaps, counterintuitive way to get people to like you. Ask them for a favor. It may seem weird, but asking someone for their assistance can get them to see you in a different light.
Most of us want to be seen as helpful, reliable, knowledgeable people. When someone asks us for our help, and they ask us in the right way, it makes us feel good about ourselves, and it makes us feel good about them.
The trick here is to make it a “Feel-good Favor.” This is not the time to be pushy or to ask for something anyone can do for you. The favor you ask has to be something specific, it has to be something that taps into the favor provider’s special skill set or personal network.
A great example is to ask for an introduction to someone they know who you would otherwise have difficulty meeting without them. Another example is to ask for their help in understanding something or navigating a problem that you know they can easily help you with.
Don’t use this technique lightly. Your request needs to be genuine, and it needs to be something that they are well equipped to help you with.
The reason this works is that it feeds our Ego when we are turned to as an expert or as someone who is seen as well-connected. In turn, we enjoy that feeling, and then we want more of it, so the person who asked us that favor becomes associated with a feeling we enjoy, and as a result, we like them.
More on being Likeable…
Ask, Listen, Ask Again. If you want people to like you in a networking scenario, make them feel like you are deeply interested in what they are saying. This principle is very similar to my previous tip above. The more you make people feel like you are actually interested and engaged in what they are saying, the more they are going to feel appreciated and respected, and that feeds their Ego and voila!
I don’t mean to downplay these techniques. This is not an opportunity to feign false interest, and doing so will expose your deceptive intentions. If you are going to use these two techniques, be genuine about it.
Gaining trust…
Over the years, I have found there are many opportunities to earn trust in networking situations. One of the easiest ways to earn someone’s trust is to deliver on your promises.
What I am talking about here is proper follow-up. If you go to an event, meet someone, and have a conversation with them, you are going to have opportunities to help them. Whether it is connecting them with someone you know, providing them with a helpful article you read recently or recommending other events for them to attend, we all have opportunities to help others we meet when networking.
The key to this is the follow-up.
If you have told someone at a networking event that you are going to introduce them to a colleague, then that should be the first thing you do when you get back to your office. If you promised to forward an article, or send them the details about an event, make sure that you prioritize delivering on those promises.
Too many people chatter on and on about how they can help people at networking events, but many do not follow-up. No one remembers the promise breakers, they remember the people who follow-up and deliver.
I hope these tips are clear and helpful to anyone reading this. Building a network and getting known as an architect, or, for that matter, any type of professional, is not difficult. It just takes careful selection of the events you attend, making people feel good about themselves (and about you), and doing the work to follow-up properly.
A fantastic addition to the post Bryon. Thanks for sharing.