The first time I needed to file taxes, I was clueless.
But my brother seemed to get it. He’d been working longer than me, so it was easy for me to defer to his judgement. I just got my taxes prepared where he had his done.
A couple years later, he learned about another firm that could (supposedly) get even bigger refund checks. He switched, so I switched. No critical thinking involved, no hesitation. I didn’t need a relationship with the accountant. I trusted my brother.
Then we both got audited by the IRS… right around the same time the accounting firm went out of business.
After that experience, I filed with a big-box preparer. It seemed like the safe choice.
But just a few years later, my brother told me about a solo CPA who told him she’d get him a good return. So I switched again. No critical thinking involved, no hesitation. Because I still trusted my brother, despite previous outcomes.
Now, when you read that, it sounds crazy. And it is a little crazy.
It should have been obvious to me that I needed to do my due diligence, especially after the whole audit situation.
Here’s the thing: your average prospect goes through similar thought processes and experiences when it comes to trust.
Before going further, I think it’s important to clarify…
The Distinction Between Trustworthy and Trusted.
Because there is an important difference.
- Trustworthy means “I (probably) won’t get burned if I trust this person/firm.” It’s safe.
- Trusted means “I want to trust this person/firm. It’s in my best interest to trust this person/firm.” It’s attractive & desirable.
It’s possible to be worthy of trust but not be trusted by the people who need your help the most.
Showing off certifications, listing licenses, even bragging on your solid track record (in instances where you’re allowed to do that) can make you appear trustworthy.
That’s a good thing, but is it good enough? I’d argue that it’s not. Even the rarest of financial designations are shared by hundreds, if not thousands, of other experts.
Which brings us to the topic at hand: Elevating yourself and/or your firm from trustworthy to irresistibly trusted.
You’ve undoubtedly consumed a lot of educational content on building trust.
I’ll be focusing here on concepts and ideas that haven’t been hammered into your head already.