Building Trust with Clients You've Never Met

“Are you Karla?” Someone asked me that in my gym in Bali. But it’s also happened: → On a street in Manchester → In a bathroom in Amsterdam → At a wedding in Valencia → And again, in London, Paris and Glasgow Being recognised on the other side of the world is a surreal feeling 🥹 But every time it’s happened, it’s been because of one thing: Showing up on LinkedIn and building a meaningful & strategic personal brand. Each of them recognised me from photos. They had read my posts. And knew parts of my story. They were aware of my business journey. My marketing knowledge & expertise. My ADHD. My love for health and wellness. Where I've been- and where I'm going. When they saw me in real life, they felt like they already knew me. It opened the door for conversation. And immediately built trust and connection. That’s the halo effect in action. In psychology, when someone forms a positive impression in one area... They subconsciously assume you're credible in others too. It’s a powerful cognitive bias that works in your favour. Here's how I've seen it compound: → I share authentic, story-driven content → That builds emotional connection and authority online → When people meet me IRL, there's already trust → They feel safe enough to: Say hi, ask questions, share their own stories → Then they go back online and engage even deeper → That builds a stronger connection → And creates more inbound opportunities (from them directly or through referrals) That’s why building a personal brand is such a valuable business asset. It takes you from: > Silent lurker / unknown founder To: > Someone your dream clients already recognise & resonate with That’s why I don’t work with clients who just want virality. Trends and overused templates can get attention. But they rarely build connection. Emotion sells, so make people feel something. Don't believe me? The cold, hard data doesn’t lie: System1 found that emotional advertising is twice as effective as rational. It’s exactly why every LinkedIn strategy I create includes: • Real, raw storytelling • Intentional positioning • Deep emotional resonance • Value-led content that shows, not tells Client example of the halo effect in action: A founder of a high-growth agency spoke on stage at Cannes. It completely elevated their personal brand. Their ICP were: - Tagging them in posts - Engaging with older content - Visiting their LinkedIn profile - Connecting with & DM'ing them - Sending them PR & business opportunities Their offline presence fuelled their online credibility. And their online content pre-sold their value IRL. = true amplification and authority So if you're building a personal brand... Don’t just aim to “perform” online. Aim to connect online offline. Because perception comes first. With it comes trust, opportunities and growth! P.s. book recommendation: ‘Key Person of Influence’ by Daniel Priestly

After working with 1,000s of investors over the last 22 years, here are 5 things that work for building trust as a property advisor. It’s a competitive market. Projects are everywhere. Brokers are everywhere. Buyers are more informed, more connected, and more spoiled for choice than ever before. In a competitive market, the rules change. It’s no longer enough to be the first to pick up the phone. Investors are done looking for brokers. They’re looking for a partner who has their best interest at heart. So how do you win that trust? Here are 5 ways I’ve seen work time and again: 1- Do your homework before the pitch. Don’t push the first property you see. Research your investor’s profile, priorities, and financial strategy so your advice is precise. 2- Advise, don’t sell. Be the broker who says, “Don’t buy this one” if the deal doesn’t suit them. That kind of honesty pays back 10x. 3- Stay top-of-mind with value. Show your clients you listen to them. Remember the small stuff. Build a personal bridge. 4- Invest in relationships offline. Attend networking events, industry panels, and community gatherings to plant seeds that grow into trust. 5- Build a visible personal brand. Consistently share insights, market updates, and smart content on relevant digital platforms. Investors trust people they see as thought leaders. When a client realizes you care more about them more than about closing the fastest deal, that client will never forget you. They’ll come back again. They’ll refer their friends. They’ll trust you for life. What’s the one thing you do to win long-term trust in a competitive market?

The Art of Communication with a Client Is to Listen In the world of luxury—whether fashion, fine jewellery, or bespoke consulting—communication is often mistaken for performance. But the most powerful tool you have in earning trust, loyalty, and ultimately conversion, is not what you say. It’s how deeply you listen. True listening is an act of service. It’s more than nodding and paraphrasing—it’s attuning. It’s understanding the spoken and the unsaid. In a single appointment, a client may reveal far more than their taste—they show you their aspirations, insecurities, and how they want to be seen by the world. Psychologically, we all crave being heard more than being helped. When a client feels truly listened to, they begin to lean in. Defenses fall. Connection builds. And in that space, influence becomes effortless—because your recommendations are no longer generic, they’re intuitively tailored. As a luxury consultant with over a decade working on the floor, in boardrooms, and behind the scenes with some of the most discerning clients in the industry, here’s what I know: THE ELEGANT POWER OF LISTENING WILL OUTSHINE EVEN THE MOST POLISHED PITCH . Speak less. Hear more. That’s how trust is built. And trust, in luxury, is the highest currency. — Elena Falconer, The Style Edutory

Most marketers approach empathy like a checkbox exercise: “𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀. 𝗔𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺. 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.” Sounds strategic, doesn’t it? But here’s the hard truth: People can tell when your “empathy” is a strategy. Imagine this: A struggling business owner reads your ad about their challenges. The words are clever, the message on point, but something feels... off. Why? Because your concern doesn’t feel genuine; it feels rehearsed. Here’s what most miss: Your audience isn’t looking for clever. They’re craving connection. 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳: 🧠 Are you really listening, or just waiting for your turn to sell? 🧠 Can you genuinely empathize without turning their pain into a “selling hook”? 🧠 When was the last time you spoke to a customer, not to pitch, but to understand? What I Do Differently: 💡 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: Instead of jumping to conclusions, I ask open-ended questions and then truly listen. 💡 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗲: When I craft marketing messages, I strip out all mentions of “solutions” first. I focus solely on mirroring their struggles. 💡 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲: Before selling, I offer insights that can help right now. No strings attached. No lead magnet download. Just actionable value. 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁: One of our clients in the coaching space was struggling to engage their audience. Instead of rebranding their offer, we rewrote their messaging around stories from real clients. The result? Their engagement tripled and trust soared. What Happens When You Truly Empathize? People feel seen. They start to trust you. And trust? That’s when they invite you into their journey. Because here’s the kicker: Your best sales tool isn’t your solution. It’s the trust you build before you even mention it. Ready to Build That Trust? Here’s a challenge: Write down your audience’s biggest struggles. Now, remove all mention of solutions or your business. Just focus on their experience. Feel stuck? Share your results below; I’ll help you refine it. Remember: Authentic empathy isn’t a tactic. It’s the foundation of everything. Let’s create trust that actually transforms. 👇

If you want to move upmarket, you likely won’t get there by grinding harder, you’ll get there by building strategic relationships. Everyone wants higher-value clients, but few people are willing to play the long game it actually takes to earn their trust. You can’t shortcut relationship equity. Here’s what I shared with a client in one of my intensive sessions this week: If you want to move upmarket, start by creating a Centers of Influence (COI) strategy that maps directly to your Ideal Client Profile (ICP). Here’s the framework I use: 1. Define your ICP clearly - Who exactly do you want to work with over the next 12–24 months? - What do they buy, how do they buy it, and what do they value most? If your ICP is vague, your outreach will be too. 2. Identify who your ICP already trusts. - Every industry has gatekeepers: accountants, attorneys, consultants, wealth advisors, lenders, vendors, and peers who already have your ICP’s attention. Those are your COIs. They already have what you’re trying to earn: credibility. 3. Build a map of 10–15 specific names. - List real people, not just categories. Then craft a tailored plan for each. Ask yourself: - How can I add value to this person? - What insights, introductions, or resources can I provide? - How can we win together over time? 4. Play the long game. - This isn’t transactional, it’s relational. - The first coffee meeting isn’t going to produce revenue. - But the fifth might change your business. Your goal is to become the person your COIs want to refer because you’ve built trust, consistency, and follow-through. 5. Stay visible and consistent. - Send updates. Share wins. Check in without asking for anything. - Relationships compound like interest; slowly at first, and then all at once. You can’t “growth hack” credibility. It’s built one conversation, one introduction, and one follow-up at a time. If you want bigger clients, build deeper relationship, then give it the time it deserves. If you’ve never mapped your COI strategy before, start this week. Or reach out to me and we can help. We’ve done this for our clients and it helps them win!! 📸 of a networking event building relationships with COI’s

When you don’t have a budget for ads, building trust is the way to go. When I started my practice, I didn’t have a big budget for ads or a flashy marketing campaign. What I did have was a clear understanding of the kind of business I wanted to build—one rooted in trust, relationships, and real solutions for people with tax debt. So, instead of throwing money into advertising, I invested in something more meaningful: 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀. 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 If you’ve ever sat across from a client who feels completely lost—maybe their bank account was just frozen, or they received an IRS letter they don’t understand—you know that this isn’t about sales. It’s about trust. Tax debt is one of the most stressful challenges someone can face. And when they turn to their CPA, attorney, or financial advisor, they’re looking for 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦. I realized early on that the best way to grow my practice wasn’t to convince clients to choose me—it was to show their trusted advisors that I could be 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 trusted resource. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 I made it my mission to connect with the people who encounter clients with tax debt problems long before I ever do: - CPAs trying to explain IRS notices to accounting and tax prep clients. - Bankruptcy attorneys helping clients who have tax issues that can’t be discharged. - Financial advisors who know their clients need tax resolution before they can move forward. Instead of pitching myself, I listened. I asked what their clients needed, what they needed, and how I could make their lives easier. And then I followed through. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 1. 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁    When a CPA or bankruptcy attorney refers their client to me, that client already trusts me because they trust the person who sent them. That trust shortens the gap between problem and solution, and it’s something no ad can replicate.     2. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀    Those early connections didn’t just send clients my way—they became partnerships. These are people I can call for advice, collaborate with, and send referrals back to when my clients need their help.     3. 𝗔 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀    Doing great work for one client leads to another referral. And another. Over time, the effort I put into those relationships started snowballing. I didn’t just build a business—I built a reputation.     When I first started, I decided my niche would be promoting myself as a tax debt attorney who would do the right thing within a sea of fraudulent tax firms. And that started with creating trust.

𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗲𝗱𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿: 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗥 For 15 years, I believed great surgery was enough. I was wrong. The patients who trusted me most weren't those who saw my technical skills in the OR—they were the ones who knew me as a person before they ever met me. Here are 3 unconventional ways I've built patient trust outside the hospital walls: 𝟭. 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 I used to hide behind medical jargon and institutional websites. I do the opposite, now. Every week, I share one surgical insight in plain English: • How I approach a complex procedure • What patients should really expect during recovery • The questions I wish patients would ask me Example: Instead of posting "Performed total knee arthroplasty with multimodal pain management protocol," I write: "Replaced a knee today using techniques that cut recovery time in half. Here's why you'll be walking the same day and back to your morning walks within weeks, not months." This transparency lets patients see both my expertise and my communication style before they step into my office. The result? Patients arrive already feeling like they know me. 𝟮. 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗩𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 This strategy transformed my practice more than I imagined. I created three "evergreen" videos (record once, use forever): • Pre-consultation: "Here's what to expect at our first meeting" • Pre-surgical: "Here's what will happen on surgery day" • Post-surgical: "Here's how to optimize your recovery" Each 60-90 seconds long, sent via text to every patient at the right moment. Why this works: • Reduces anxiety by setting clear expectations • Shows I'm thinking about them between appointments • Demonstrates I care about their entire journey, not just the procedure One patient told me: "Doc, getting that video the night before surgery made me feel like you were personally looking out for me." 𝟯. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 Trust isn't built in exam rooms—it's earned in everyday spaces. I made myself visible in three ways: • Hospital education: Not to promote my practice, but to educate about prevention • Patient talks: Speaking at my practice about our step-by-step experience anyone can understand • Patient reunions: Annual gatherings where past patients can share their stories 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲 Technical skill gets you through Fellowship. But trust gets patients through their most vulnerable moments. In today's world, that trust starts building long before patients walk into your office. Great surgeons don't just perform procedures—they build relationships that extend far beyond the OR. I'm learning.

When I was 19, I leased a Mazda Miata. At the end of the lease, I got hit with a $2,750 processing fee. No one mentioned it upfront. No one explained what it covered. I felt duped. And here’s the thing: Your prospects? They’ve probably been duped too. Hidden fees. The bait and switch. Double-talk. Lying by omission. These past experiences stick with people. They color how prospects see salespeople. Trust is out. Skepticism is in. So how do you build trust in a world of skeptics? By telling the whole story, not just the part that makes you look good. Telling one side of the story sounds like: “Here’s why our solution is perfect for you.” (Of course, you think it’s perfect. You want the sale.) Telling the entire story sounds like: “Although our solution checks most of your boxes, there’s one limitation: It doesn’t integrate with your CRM, so it might require manual data entry.” See the difference? The whole story builds trust. Because when you own the downside, the upside becomes more believable. The golden rule of sales? Sell like you want to be sold to. No surprises. No spin. Just transparency.

Want clients who trust you and keep coming back? Build relationships before building offers. Six months ago, I significantly shifted how I approached my business. Like many solopreneurs, I was struggling with: 1. Clients who showed interest but never fully committed. 2. Conversations that fizzled out because I wasn’t consistent. 3. A disconnect when it came to what my audience truly needed. So, I took a step back and focused on relationships first. The results? -Clients started trusting me on a deeper level. -Referrals became a steady stream from satisfied customers. -Conversations uncovered needs I didn’t even know existed. Now, if I sense a relationship slipping, I do three simple things: A) Ask how they’re doing and what challenges they’re facing. B) Share updates explicitly tailored to their goals. C) Listen—really listen—without pushing a sale. Because when relationships come first, success follows. How do you keep your client relationships strong?

How do you start working with big clients? Is not exactly like you can just come in and say they need to fire all their other agencies because yours is better. So how do you start to build trust with the client and ultimately prove yourself to be a great asset to them? Breaking into work with large companies often requires a strategic "foot-in-the-door" approach rather than attempting to immediately displace existing agencies. Success typically begins with identifying and solving specific, manageable pain points within one department. Take our experience with Crystal Springs – our relationship began simply by designing banner images for their trucks, but this small project laid the foundation for broader opportunities. The key is to start with projects that present minimal risk to the client while demonstrating your agency's capabilities. For instance, we helped Lotus Cars and Porsche leverage their social media data to inform their branding keywords – a low-risk project that delivered tangible value. Large organizations often have vast amounts of data but struggle to extract meaningful insights from it, creating an opportunity for agencies to prove their worth. This is the type of service you could sell as part of a foot-in-the-door strategy where there’s nothing for them to lose. The biggest mistake people make with the middle offering is they think it should be the same every time. On the contrary, an initial meeting with the client should be enough for them to tell you their biggest obstacles and your offer should aim to solve that. This customization fosters a sense of partnership and collaboration, reinforcing trust. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all solution, your approach will be to engage clients in identifying their unique challenges and then creating bespoke projects that address those concerns. Focus on making this foot-in-the-door something you can build in a short amount of time instead of a big project. Ideally, it should also be something you can build with them including, thereby in the process. The transition to a retainer relationship becomes natural once you've proven your value – after all, consistent positive results make a compelling case for long-term partnership.