Creating circles of trust online

The worst mistake you can make while trying to connect with people online is sending a message like, ‘Hi, I have been following you for a while now. I love your content and I just want to connect with you. Let’s collaborate.’ No context.❌ No shared story❌ No credibiity⚠️ Just a random DM that expects your recipient to trust someone they had never seen, heard from, or engaged with before. Guess what, they probably have hundreds of other DMs like that. So what makes you special? Your message is not the first message like that they received, and sadly, it won’t be the last. You are making this mistake and it’s ruining your chances of building any meaningful relationships online. Don’t get this wrong. The message template above is great and okay, for most people. But… If you want to be moved from just the ‘admiring follower zone’ to the collaborator, and ultimately, the friendship zone, there is a secret. And it is to stop trying to connect first without building some sort of credibility. In case you don’t know, the people you are sending those messages to are viewing your profile, and they decide the category to place you in based on what they see. If you are not satisfied with what you see when you view your profile, then get to work. Fix your brand story. Create content showing who you are and what you believe in. Build a consistent identity. Then…. Start sending messages and see the trust, access and opportunities you will unlock. If you are not building your brand, forget deep connection with anyone seriously building theirs. It will not work. They will not share their time without proof. They will not share their space, their audience, and their opportunities without knowing who you are. Reaching out, collaboration, and building strategic relationships online, all should be done with strategy and self-awareness. You don’t earn trust through a DM. You earn it through consistent clarity in how you show up online. Before people open their networks to you, they look at your digital footprint. They check if you’ve been adding value in public. They scroll before they say yes. This post is to fix your priorities. It is not a call-out. Networking without clarity is a waste of your precious time. Post value. Show your face. Make noise with meaning. Support others publicly before you approach them privately. Show the kind of thinking, energy, and integrity that makes people say, ‘Who is this person?’ So that by the time you send a message, your name already rings a bell, even faintly. They will reply, not because they are impressed, but because they recognise you. And that recognition builds a bridge that makes the conversation meaningful. So before you send your next ‘Let’s connect’ message, ask yourself: Have I given this person a reason to care? Have I shown who I am and what I stand for? If not, start there. Oluamara Success Nwaeze

I believe in the Professional World, you can ask for many things - But One. Trust. That’s not something you can ask for or demand. You can only build this. And building trust can be a daunting task, especially on a platform like LinkedIn where connections are often virtual. Yet, Trust is the foundation upon which lasting relationships and opportunities are built. So, how do you cultivate trust in this vast online space? 1. Would you trust someone whose professional persona seems inauthentic or curated? (People can sense a lack of genuineness. UNDERSTAND this.) What to do? 📌Share your authentic thoughts, stories, and vulnerabilities.  📌Embrace your unique voice - that's what resonates and earns trust. 2. Analyze your last month's activity.  PConsistently  engaged with your network? SShared valuable content and insights? What to do?  📌If the answer is NO, Stay actively engaged, share knowledge generously, and be someone others can count on. 3. Are you truly listening, supporting, and adding value to others' journeys? What to do?  📌Trust flows both ways.  📌Be an engaged listener, offer help selflessly, and focus on how you can contribute to others' growth. Building trust on LinkedIn is an art, but a worthy investment. Keep showing up authentically, stay consistent in your actions, and put others first. Slowly but surely, you'll cultivate a network of trusted connections that open doors. What are your experiences building trust on LinkedIn? Share your thoughts in the comments! PS. Want to boost your Personal Brand on LinkedIn but don't know how to start? DM me now to build a remarkable personal brand and stand out from the crowd 💯 #personalbranding #freelancing #photography

If you think getting followers means getting clients, you're missing the point. I see this all the time with financial advisors and coaches. 👉🏻 They focus on growing their follower count. 👉🏻 Then they wonder why their DMs stay empty. 👉🏻 And their calendars remain unfilled. I use a process called H.A.N.D in my own coaching business. Here's a step-by-step guide on how you can use it 👇 1️⃣ Hook → You need to catch their attention first. → Create content that stops the scroll → Share stories that resonate with their struggles → Ask questions that make them think Remember: attention won doesn't mean attention converted 💡 2️⃣ Add Value → This is where most people drop the ball. → Share actionable insights they can use immediately → Teach them something new in every post → Give away your best stuff for free Educational content builds expertise and knowledge 💡 3️⃣ Nurture Relationships → Here's the secret sauce: hand-holding. → For every 10 people who notice you, maybe 5-6 will let you guide them → Respond to comments personally → Share more value in your replies Trust is built through consistent expertise, not one-off posts 💡 4️⃣ Deliver Results → Now you can make the ask. → Your audience already knows your expertise → They've experienced your value firsthand → The trust foundation is solid Converting feels natural, not pushy I've built a 7-figure coaching business using this exact process. 🔑 The key? Most people skip straight to the sale. But trust takes time to build. ✅ Hand-hold your audience. ✅ Give them value. ✅ Show them you care. What's your biggest challenge building trust online? Let's discuss in the comment 👇🏻 #contentstrategy #growthmindset #personalbranding #socialmediastrategy #businessgrowth

Yesterday reminded me that networking is not a matter of luck. It’s a skill you practise. Here’s how I do it: simple, deliberate, repeatable. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟯-𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀: 👉Create/Re-establish the network: go beyond your natural circle 👉Maintain the relationship: build trust over time 👉Tap into it: only after trust is earned, ask for support or collaboration 🔁 It’s not a one-time action. It’s a cycle of relationship building. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆. ✅ I finally fulfilled a long-overdue promise to treat Brent T. for his birthday. I also invited Yoke Leng Leong, as I had missed her birthday as well. It wasn’t just a celebration. It was how I 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸: 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲-𝘁𝗼-𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱, 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁. And yes, I enjoy food. It’s my favourite way to reconnect. We didn’t talk about the past. We talked about what’s next. Ideas, advice, encouragement; it all came naturally because trust was already there. After lunch, I was about to head home. But Brent said, “You need to meet someone.” I’m glad I stayed. It turned out to be Dr Nisha Abu Bakar. She was already a LinkedIn connection, but we had never met in person. This time, we truly connected. 𝗡𝗼 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸. 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲: 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱. It reminded me that networking isn’t about being visible. It’s about being genuine. And consistent. 👣 If you're building your network: 👉Don’t wait for events. Reach out. 👉Don’t just collect names. Build trust. 👉Don’t jump the line. Earn the ask. Relationships grow when you invest in them. Networking must be both online and offline to be powerful. Thank you, Brent, Yoke Leng, and Dr. Nisha, for reminding me what a real connection looks like. #Networking #VisualThinking #RelationshipsThatMatter #TrustInAction #ProfessionalGrowth #TheSTARSystem