I friend of mine named Don Kermath asked me for a good book suggestion. Of course, the first thing that came to mind was the best book I have read in at least 5 years, Trust Agents, by Chris Brogan and Julian Smith. It has greatly influenced how I work and what I invest my time in, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to earn trust and garner influence on the internet.
So then Don does what he always does… he pushes, and prods, and pokes. In a good way, mind you. He wanted to know what I thought the 3 biggest take-aways from the book are. And while it was hard for me to pick just 3, I thought I would list them here:
1. You must be a contributing member of the ‘community’ before you can expect anything in return. It sounds cliche, but it is true… you must give before you can receive. That is why I tell others not to try and sell stuff at first when they open that Facebook page or Twitter account…let people see that you are genuine and that you care and you aren’t just trying to sell them something. People who are members of a community know when someone is amongst them who are ‘takers’. They see right through those people. So don’t be a taker. Be a giver. Provide value to others… give them things that help them make their lives better.
2. Find a way to set yourself apart. Do something that gets you noticed… be someone that is doing something different than everybody else. You’ll be noticed, people will be intrigued, and they will be drawn to you. That builds deeper relationships with others. Don’t just do what your competitors are doing. Give people a reason to remember you.
3. Network, network, network. This is the ‘build armies’ thing. You can’t do it alone or you’ll wear yourself out and spin your wheels. Connect with others who are like-minded and work together. Share together. Be a partner to others and then work together toward your common goal. Sometimes this even means working with your competitors. Join together for a good cause in your community and be seen as the person who will even work with your competitors for something bigger than yourself.
So there you have it. I promise you you’ll get way much more from Trust Agents than what I just shared with you. I guess the highest compliment I can give for this book is that when I finished reading it I immediately, that day, started over at chapter 1 and read it again. Now, go build some trust.
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1. It is better to give than receive.
2. Like you say Steve, be like Lady Gaga – differentiate. Who is more different than her? I like to call this getting my unfair share of the market.
3. Yes, your competitors are not necessarily your competition. Work with them to promote your industry – make the pie bigger. This is what I call integration marketing.
Thanks Steve
P.s. Much better picture on your page. That’s the poking Steve mentioned.
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