Building trust in the age of social media distraction

Here's the new rule of GTM for 2025: it's about about TRUST not DISTRACTION. In 2024 and earlier, most companies were STILL playing the volume game: More cold emails More ads More noise But here's what I learned building partner programs at WeWork and Amex: 1. Identify Trusted Advocates Customers are more likely to trust recommendations from voices they already know and respect. Who influences our target audience? Who already has their attention and trust? These could be industry leaders, complementary solution providers, or niche communities. Build partnerships with those who already have a strong connection to your ideal customers. 2. Collaborate to Add Value, Not Noise Instead of interrupting your audience with another cold email or ad, collaborate with partners to create meaningful, value-driven touch points. - Co-host a webinar addressing a shared customer pain point. - Develop a joint white paper showcasing both brands’ expertise. - Offer bundled solutions that make life easier for the customer. 3. Leverage Existing Trust to Open Doors Partners are amplifiers AND bridges. They help you cross the “river of distraction” and reach customers without the noise. A well-placed introduction or co-branded recommendation carries far more weight than another outbound message. 4. Measure the Shift from Interruption to Influence If trust-building is your new GTM focus, your success metrics need to change too. Track things like: - Partner-Sourced Leads: Leads generated through trusted partner referrals. - Engagement Rates: How customers interact with co-created content or campaigns. - Pipeline Velocity: How quickly partner-driven deals progress compared to direct sales efforts. Breaking through the noise requires genuine relationships. It's no longer about whose voice is the loudest, it’s whose voice your audience already trusts. The future isn't about interruption and distraction. It's about trust.

People don’t buy from brands—they buy from people they trust. Trust is the foundation of every successful social media sale. Some think flashy ads and viral posts are the key to social media sales. But the truth? Consistent trust-building beats short-term gimmicks every time. Show up consistently with valuable content. Engage genuinely with your audience—respond to comments, ask questions, and be human. Share testimonials and real customer stories to showcase authenticity. Be transparent—if you make a mistake, own it and make it right. Many believe that selling on social media is about having a large following. In reality, a smaller, engaged audience that trusts you can outperform massive, unengaged followers. I’ve spent years helping brands build trust on social media, transforming their online presence from overlooked to overbooked. I’ve seen firsthand that trust is the currency of the online world. When I started my journey into social media marketing, I thought success was all about going viral. I chased trends, tried every hack, and yet, sales were flat. Gradually, I shifted my focus to trust. I started listening to my audience, providing real value, and showing up authentically. The transformation was slow, but steady. Sales began to climb, not because of a single viral moment, but because my audience trusted me. In the noisy world of social media, trust is your superpower. Build it, nurture it, and watch your business thrive. #branding #socialmediastrategist

Your social media KPIs are lying to you. 🫠💸 I’ve been tracking something across my client campaigns: the brands with the biggest budgets aren’t always winning. What separates the winners from the big spenders? TRUST. We’ve been measuring the wrong things. Likes, shares, and reach are vanity metrics. The real KPI that predicts success? Trust score. Here’s how I measure it for my global brand clients: → Authenticity Rate: Comments that feel genuine vs. generic → Consistency Index: Brand voice alignment across all touchpoints → Community Loyalty: Repeat engagement and user-generated content → Crisis Resilience: How your audience defends you when challenged 🕵️The internet has created millions of detective-consumers. They spot greenwashing from miles away. They call out pinkwashing instantly. They can smell a trend-chasing brand that stands for nothing. The brands winning today? They stopped chasing viral moments and started building relationships. 🫂They don’t copy-paste every trend. They create their own waves with authentic storytelling that connects their values to their audience’s lives. Here’s what most marketers miss: You can’t fake authenticity on social media if it doesn’t exist in your company culture. Trust isn’t a social media strategy - it’s an organizational commitment. When trust becomes your North Star, something magical happens: Your budget works harder, your content resonates deeper, and your community becomes your best marketing team ✨ The question isn’t whether you can afford to build trust. It’s whether you can afford not to. Building authentic brands that create real connections is what I do as a creative strategist. If you’re struggling to translate your brand’s true voice into social media success, let’s talk about how strategy beats spending every time! 💥

Starting my career in marketing with one of the biggest FMCG brands in 2006, cutting through the noise and winning the game was simple: Outspend your competitors.  Full stop. 👉Bigger budgets meant more visibility. 👉More visibility meant more market share. 👉And customers? They had fewer choices, so they trusted what they knew. But today?  That game is over. Social media changed everything. It was built for people, not corporations. But, as the saying goes - marketers ruin everything. 😂 [🙋♀️guilty as charged]. Brands flooded every platform with ads, promotions, and constant disruption. And it worked.  Until it didn’t. Now? The next generation of decision-makers has adapted. ❌They’re blocking ads. ❌They’ve lost trust in big corporations & institutions. ❌They tune out anything that feels scripted or too perfect. So, how do you cut through? Personal brands. Because people still trust people - no matter the industry you’re in. 📍Hiring? Candidates aren’t just looking at the company - they’re looking at who’s leading it. Do their values align? Do they want to be associated with them, knowing their next career opportunity will be influenced by this decision? 📍Marketing? Consumers don’t want ads - they want real insights from people they trust. It’s no surprise the creator economy is exploding. When was the last time you bought something directly from a company? Chances are, you followed someone using it - seeing how it fits into their life -before deciding to buy. [Can't just be me??] 📍Sales? Trust is built before the sale.  Buyers consume content long before making a decision, meaning the brands and leaders they follow already have the advantage. That’s why the fastest-growing businesses aren’t just building companies—they’re building founder & leadership brands. 📌Alex & Leila Hormozi → Acquisition.com [After reaching a $100M net worth each, they doubled down on personal branding because paid media is expensive & less effective.] 📌Steven Bartlett → Flight Story & The Diary of a CEO [Turned a podcast into a global brand, now top talent lines up to work with him.] 📌Mark Zuckerberg → Meta For years, he stayed behind the scenes. Now? He’s everywhere. Sharing AI & Metaverse updates. Posting training videos. Showing off his Meta Ray Bans [which I’m very tempted to buy 👀]. Why? Because he understands - better than most - that the game has changed. People follow people. Yet, many still think personal branding is just a vanity metric. But in 2025, where attention = currency, the question isn’t if you should build your presence. It’s how much longer you’re willing to stay invisible. Because here’s the reality: ❌ You don’t need a personal brand. ❌ You don’t need to show up online. ❌ You don’t need to create content. But someone else will. And if you don’t turn your personal brand into a compounding asset, it will become a liability. #PersonalBrand #AttentionEconomy #Leadership #FutureOfWork

Trust doesn't come from your accomplishments. It comes from quiet moves like these: For years I thought I needed more experience, achievements, and wins to earn trust. But real trust isn't built through credentials. It's earned in small moments, consistent choices, and subtle behaviors that others notice - even when you think they don't. Here are 15 quiet moves that instantly build trust 👇🏼 1. You close open loops, catching details others miss ↳ Send 3-bullet wrap-ups after meetings. Reliability builds. 2. You name tension before it gets worse ↳ Name what you sense: "The energy feels different today" 3. You speak softly in tense moments ↳ Lower your tone slightly when making key points. Watch others lean in. 4. You stay calm when others panic, leading with stillness ↳ Take three slow breaths before responding. Let your calm spread. 5. You make space for quiet voices ↳ Ask "What perspective haven't we heard yet?", then wait. 6. You remember and reference what others share ↳ Keep a Key Details note for each relationship in your phone. 7. You replace "but" with "and" to keep doors open ↳ Practice "I hear you, and here's what's possible" 8. You show up early with presence and intention ↳ Close laptop, turn phone face down 2 minutes before others arrive. 9. You speak up for absent team members ↳ Start with "X made an important point about this last week" 10. You turn complaints into possibility ↳ Replace "That won't work" with "Let's experiment with..." 11. You build in space for what really matters ↳ Block 10 min buffers between meetings. Others will follow. 12. You keep small promises to build trust bit by bit ↳ Keep a "promises made" note in your phone. Track follow-through. 13. You protect everyone's time, not just your own ↳ End every meeting 5 minutes early. Set the standard. 14. You ask questions before jumping to fixes ↳ Lead with "What have you tried so far?" before suggesting solutions. 15. You share credit for wins and own responsibility for misses ↳ Use "we" for successes, "I" for challenges. Watch trust grow. Your presence speaks louder than your resume. Trust is earned in these quiet moments. Which move will you practice first? Share below 👇🏼 -- ♻️ Repost to help your network build authentic trust without the struggle 🔔 Follow me Dr. Carolyn Frost for more strategies on leading with quiet impact

A frustrated and burnt out client told me, “I feel invisible when I’m not posting, but I can’t keep up with the pressure to always show up.” The truth is, visibility isn’t just about posting every day. It’s about presence, not performance. Their profile looked great, but there was no movement. No conversations, no clicks, no traction. We took a step back and focused on subtle, sustainable actions that didn’t rely on constant content. We optimized their profile to speak directly to the right people, added a testimonial that told a clear before-and-after story, and used strategic engagement to stay top-of-mind. Within a few weeks, leads were rolling in, and they hadn’t posted once. I call it the Quiet Authority Method, because sometimes, showing up well is louder than showing up often. Here’s how you can do it: 🔸 Share One Thought, Not the Whole Chapter • You don’t have to post a full lesson, just one insight or observation can land. • A quick story or shift in mindset is more powerful than a wall of text. End Result: It keeps you visible without overwhelming yourself or your audience. 🔸 Repost with a Twist • Quote someone else’s post and add your take. It’s low-pressure but high-engagement. • Your voice matters, even when you’re not the original source. End Result: You stay in the feed and build credibility, without having to create from scratch. 🔸 Show Behind-the-Scenes Instead of “Big Wins” • A messy middle moment, a work-in-progress, or a small realization is enough. • People relate more to growth than they do to polish. End Result: Vulnerability builds trust, especially in a sea of highlight reels. 🔸 Comment With Intention • If posting feels like too much, commenting with a fresh perspective still builds your presence. • You’re building equity with every smart reply. End Result: Consistent interaction makes people remember you, sometimes more than a post would. 🔸 Turn a DM into a Post • Someone asked a great question? Answer it publicly (with permission). • These often resonate the most because they reflect real struggles. End Result: You’re creating content that feels personal, and solves problems others are quietly dealing with too. 🔸 Save Your Best Ideas in a Vault • You don’t need to post everything now, just don’t lose them. • Even saving drafts keeps the momentum alive. End Result: Capturing ideas creates a content bank you can return to when you’re ready. Even when you’re not posting, your B2B profile can do the heavy lifting. With the right setup, it draws the right people in, builds quiet trust, and keeps you visible. That’s the idea behind the Quiet Authority Method. ⸻ ♻️ REPOST if this resonated with you! ➡️ FOLLOW Rheanne Razo for more B2B growth strategies, client success, and real-world business insights.

If you’ve been posting consistently... nothing seems to work! You might be making this ONE mistake. When I coach financial advisors and leaders, I often hear this: “Why does my content feel like no one cares?” The truth is, many people use social media to show off. They share flashy moments, wins, or polished versions of themselves. But that’s not what builds trust or a memorable personal brand. ❗️ Showing off only grabs attention temporarily. → It doesn’t create connection, value, or trust with your audience. → And without trust, your personal brand doesn’t stand out. Here’s the framework I teach to over 65,000 leaders: 1️⃣ Showing off: → This is the lowest level of personal branding. → It’s about displaying your life without thought or purpose. → It might get likes, but it rarely leaves a lasting impression. 2️⃣ Showcasing: → This is about being intentional with your content. → You curate moments that have value and meaning for others. → It’s not just about sharing your journey, it’s about teaching through it. 3️⃣ Showing through: → This is the highest level of personal branding ✨ → It’s about letting people see the real you—your struggles, growth, and values. → This is where trust is built, and your brand becomes unforgettable. When you move beyond showing off, your audience starts to care ❤️ They engage with you because they see your authenticity and value. Your personal brand becomes a magnet for trust, respect, and connection. Trust is built when you share your true self, not just your highlights. Remember, people don’t follow perfection. → They follow people who make them feel seen. What’s one small change you can make to build more trust? P.s. ✍🏻 I am Benjamin Loh, CSP, a strategic growth coach and consultant who has taught over 65,000 leaders in over 20 global cities and constructed some of the leading icons (TOT, Award Winners) in the financial industry in Asia through the power of authentic storytelling and authority building. 💪 Follow me for personal brand and growth insights. #topofmind #millennials #business

I once worked with a team that was, quite frankly, toxic. The same two team members routinely derailed meeting agendas. Eye-rolling was a primary form of communication. Side conversations overtook the official discussion. Most members had disengaged, emotionally checking out while physically present. Trust was nonexistent. This wasn't just unpleasant—it was preventing meaningful work from happening. The transformation began with a deceptively simple intervention: establishing clear community agreements. Not generic "respect each other" platitudes, but specific behavioral norms with concrete descriptions of what they looked like in practice. The team agreed to norms like "Listen to understand," "Speak your truth without blame or judgment," and "Be unattached to outcome." For each norm, we articulated exactly what it looked like in action, providing language and behaviors everyone could recognize. More importantly, we implemented structures to uphold these agreements. A "process observer" role was established, rotating among team members, with the explicit responsibility to name when norms were being upheld or broken during meetings. Initially, this felt awkward. When the process observer first said, "I notice we're interrupting each other, which doesn't align with our agreement to listen fully," the room went silent. But within weeks, team members began to self-regulate, sometimes even catching themselves mid-sentence. Trust didn't build overnight. It grew through consistent small actions that demonstrated reliability and integrity—keeping commitments, following through on tasks, acknowledging mistakes. Meeting time was protected and focused on meaningful work rather than administrative tasks that could be handled via email. The team began to practice active listening techniques, learning to paraphrase each other's ideas before responding. This simple practice dramatically shifted the quality of conversation. One team member later told me, "For the first time, I felt like people were actually trying to understand my perspective rather than waiting for their turn to speak." Six months later, the transformation was remarkable. The same team that once couldn't agree on a meeting agenda was collaboratively designing innovative approaches to their work. Conflicts still emerged, but they were about ideas rather than personalities, and they led to better solutions rather than deeper divisions. The lesson was clear: trust doesn't simply happen through team-building exercises or shared experiences. It must be intentionally cultivated through concrete practices, consistently upheld, and regularly reflected upon. Share one trust-building practice that's worked well in your team experience. P.S. If you’re a leader, I recommend checking out my free challenge: The Resilient Leader: 28 Days to Thrive in Uncertainty  https://lnkd.in/gxBnKQ8n

If your business lives or dies on trust, LinkedIn isn’t a nice-to-have anymore — it’s oxygen. A few days ago, I had a call with a woman who runs U.S. business development for a $4B public equity fund. Within minutes, I realized she represented hundreds of firms just like hers — brilliant, successful, and entirely dependent on trust to grow. Their clients invest millions based on relationships, not ads. They don’t “sell.” They’re *evaluated.* Jenna told me something that stuck: “Every new relationship takes time. People need to know we are who we say we are.” And she’s right. When the stakes are high, people don’t buy your pitch — they buy your credibility. But here’s the disconnect I see every day: The very firms who depend most on trust-based growth are the least visible where trust can actually scale — LinkedIn. They have a profile. Maybe a company page. But no real strategy. No voice. No presence. Meanwhile, their next $50M relationship is scrolling past a dozen generic posts every morning — looking for a signal of authenticity, leadership, and confidence. Trust doesn’t just happen in conference rooms anymore. It’s built — publicly — in the conversations you lead, the content you share, and the relationships you nurture before the first handshake. If your business runs on relationships, it’s time to start building digital trust capital. That’s the new growth currency. And the firms who master it — will own the future. 👉 I’m building a series on The Trust Economy — how to translate high-trust relationship businesses into scalable LinkedIn growth. Would this be valuable for your firm? Drop a “🔑” in the comments if you’d read Part 2.

Trust builds businesses. Lack of it? Kills them quietly. I’ve seen it firsthand in the businesses I coach: You don’t need to shout louder. You need to build deeper trust. Because trust is what transforms: → Visibility into credibility → Content into clients → Buzz into business that lasts And it’s built on what I call the 4 Cs: 1/ Competence → Share insight that moves people, not just fills space. → Give them the how, not just pretty frameworks. → It’s not about being impressive. It’s about being impactful. → Let them feel your expertise before they ever buy. Your clients don’t want more information. They want someone who helps them act. 2/ Conviction → Say what you actually believe. → It’s not about being louder. It’s about being clearer. → People don’t trust experts who play it safe. → Speak to what matters, not just what’s trending. The more grounded I am in what I stand for, the more naturally the right people show up. 3/ Credibility → Story over spotlight. → Teach through what you’ve lived, not just learned. → Share the scars and the solutions. → Position yourself as the guide, not the hero. Your story isn’t baggage. It’s your best trust-building asset, when you own it. 4/ Consistency → Show up even when it’s quiet. → Let your presence build predictability. → Brands are built in patterns, not one-off posts. → Create a rhythm that makes people say: “I knew you’d say that and I trust it.” It’s not about going viral. It’s about becoming recognisable. Reliable. Respected. Because trust isn’t built by chance. It’s built by design and by choice. PS: What’s your focus this quarter? -More reach -Or more resonance? I’d love to hear where you’re at. ♻️Repost to help others build trust