2023 Colors of the Year (Pt 2) – It’s a Pick ‘em

Continuing our look at the variety of Colors of the Year for 2023 (which we began last week), we’ll be taking a look at next year’s offerings from Sherwin-Williams, Butch Boy, Benjamin Moore, and Behr paint companies.

Again, instead of offering us shades of a single color, or even narrowly defined palettes as we’ve seen in the past, the major paint manufacturers are presenting us with more of a mix of categories: soft neutrals, warm pink shades, and rich, deep blue/greens. According to a recent article at the consumer-friendly design site Houzz.com, that is.

Redend Point by Sherwin-Williams

“If less intense pinks are more your jam, take a look at Redend Point [the 2023 Color of the Year from Sherwin-Williams]. It’s a medium-dark sand color, which makes it neutral, but it has a soft coral-pink undertone that gives it a twist. This is not your typical tan.

“The hint of warm pink allows the color to serve as a pleasing backdrop to hues that are more pink- or orange-forward, as seen here. But it’s still a neutral, and as such, it can work with a variety of other colors, especially those also on the warmer side of the color spectrum.”

Rustic Greige by Dutch Boy

“Along the lines of Redend Point, Rustic Greige [from Dutch Boy paints] is a sandy tan with a kiss of pink. These moodier neutrals seem to be gaining popularity in interiors, likely as a reaction to the long-popular bright whites and cool, silvery grays.

“I think this is a good choice for a neutral background wall color. You can then mix in touches of more vibrant colors or stick with a warm neutral palette and add variety with different shades of ivory, beige, tan, and brown.”

Raspberry Blush by Benjamin Moore

“Benjamin Moore [paint’s] selection also is a warm pink, but this one is super bold and vibrant.

“This extroverted hue works best in public areas of a home where an energetic vibe is desired. It’s a conversation-stimulating color for the dining room — good for those who love to entertain.”

Blank Canvas by Behr

“If you’re seeking a clean slate for 2023, you can’t go wrong with Behr [paint’s] choice of Blank Canvas. It’s pretty clear Behr is making a statement with this choice. And that statement is that most of us probably could use a fresh start.

“This go-anywhere off-white has a slightly warm cast, making it a versatile jumping-off color that can be paired with just about any other color. But because it has a touch of warmth, it also can be used as the dominant color in a room and not feel too cold or sterile.”

If these 2023 Colors of the Year fail to resonate with you, feel free to check in with us for our further impressions of these categories of colors that are trending for next year. Just click here to… Get in touch with TD Fall today.

2023 Colors of the Year – Get Your Feels On!

As we wait with bated breath (and frustration) for Pantone to declare their trend-setting Color of the Year for 2023, it’s important to recall that many other manufacturers announce their own Colors of the Year.

Rather than the shades of a single color as we’ve seen in the past, the major paint companies are presenting us with more of a mix of categories: soft neutrals, warm pink shades, and rich, deep blue/greens. That is, according to a recent article at the consumer-friendly design site Houzz.com.

Vining Ivy from PPG and Glidden

“PPG and its Glidden paint brand have both selected Vining Ivy as their 2023 Color of the Year for paint. A handsome aqua-emerald, Vining Ivy can be used to create a snug bedroom retreat, as shown here, or put to work in the kitchen as an accent color, perhaps for an island base or pantry cabinets in a glossy sheen.”

The crew at Glidden wants us to stress that “This ‘bluish-greenish-something-in-betweenish’ color serves up versatile vibes, making it an on-trend addition to any room. No matter if you think it looks more blue or more green, either way, it’s a vibe.”

Everglade Deck by Valspar

“Rather than promoting one Color of the Year, Valspar has chosen to highlight 12 trending paint colors, as it did for 2022. One of its picks, Everglade Deck, is another saturated blue/green, a bit moodier than Vining Ivy. It has surprising warmth for such a cool color. Here it infuses a bathroom with dramatic, elegant color.”

The folks at Valspar believe this colorway is trending because, “As we turn away from faster-paced lifestyles, we continue to seek balance and calmness as a source of health and rejuvenation.”

Terra Rosa by Dunn-Edwards

“While greens and blues remain popular with homeowners, increasingly warmer colors are making headway. Terra Rosa by Dunn-Edwards is a cinnamon-rose hue that’s a fresh take on more neutral browns and burgundies. It’s somewhat vibrant but also has an earthy quality; this earthiness makes it a versatile [shade of] pink.”

It’s so nice to know that there are people out there who not only see but wish to enhance our quality of life. The people at Dunn-Edwards illustrate that commitment to a life well lived by stating, “Terra Rosa highlights living a life filled with joy and finding the beauty in everyday small pleasures. The grounding quiet comfort of Terra Rosa provides a touch of prettiness with the influence of pink, yet still can create drama with its deep value.”

Are you confused by the number of choices yet? We understand so we’ll pause here to let you absorb these new design trends. But, you might want to stay tuned for a further examination of the broadening spectrum of trending 2023 Colors of the Year in a future post.

If that doesn’t work, feel free to check in with us for our further impressions of these categories of colors that are trending for next year. Just click here to… Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Fast Furniture and Client Satisfaction – Oil and Water Don’t Mix

Phrases like “social distancing”, “contact tracing”, and “flattening the curve” have been popularized in our cultural lexicon thanks to a couple of years of the pandemic. The interior design industry is no different as the phrase “fast furniture” has been coined as a somewhat derogatory term for what used to be known as mass-produced furnishings.

From products by Ikea and/or Wayfair to higher quality ready-to-ship pieces from Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, and Ethan Allen, homeowners and designers have been filling homes across the country with readily available pieces. This is understandable in some sense since not everyone can wait two to ten months for their new, designer furniture to be delivered.

In the middle of the work-from-home crisis, office furniture led the way in this trend, but ongoing supply chain issues have perpetuated this need for many homeowners.

The Good, Bad, and Ugly

According to an article from the New York Times, while design clients and DIY’ers have been largely satisfied with such solutions, many in the trade are worried that these easy-to-get products will have a short shelf life, resulting in clogged landfills over the next few years.

“The e-commerce furniture market alone was worth more than $27 billion in 2021, and [is] projected to reach more than $40 billion by 2030, according to a report from Next Move Strategy Consulting. Ikea is opening an average of [fifty] new locations per year; Amazon, the world’s largest retailer, now has two private-label furniture brands, the midcentury-modern Rivet, and the more farmhouse-chic Stone & Beam.”

While this is all well and good for the US economy, at least on a micro level, as sustainability expert and author Ashlee Piper is quoted as saying in the article, “It’s quite a big problem, both spatially and also because of the way a lot of fast furniture is made now, it’s not just wood and metal. The materials don’t biodegrade or break down … We’re creating this Leviathan problem at landfills with the furniture that we get rid of.”

To confuse the issue, even more, the article tosses us another positive aspect of fast furniture’s popularity: “For all of its flaws, fast furniture offers millions of homeowners the opportunity to live in a stylish home at an affordable price point. As young people contend with skyrocketing housing prices and economic anxiety, even those who would prefer to browse antique markets or shop for custom pieces simply don’t have the resources to do so.

The Sustainability Issue

Quick production schedules and fast turnaround times create issues with sustainability in the furniture industry. However, “Over the past decade, a number of sustainability-focused companies have entered the market in the hopes of presenting a solution,” the article explains.

Though “sustainability-focused companies [that] have entered the market” is a positive step, it begs the question of what established furnishing manufacturers may be doing.

For example, as the oldest manufacturer in the US as well as the industry leader, the Kravet family of brands has developed its Green Initiative, outlining a company-wide commitment to sustainable manufacturing solutions.

“The Kravet family of brands is dedicated to conducting business with a focus on providing a sustainable future. Our goal is to do our part in the worldwide effort to protect the planet with impactful initiatives. As a fifth-generation family business, we understand the importance of building a legacy built on reliability with a promise of a brighter tomorrow. These are the steps we are taking to secure that promise.”

And, of course, the creativity of design and quality of their products ensures a long shelf life in the homes and offices in which they are placed.

For alternatives to the fast furniture trend, and for more information on quality home-furnishing lines like Kravet and others we represent, simply… Contact TD Fall today.

Design Industry Trends – Shifting Priorities and Practices (Part 2)

As promised last week, we’re continuing to explore shifting industry trends based on an article at BusinessOfHome.com. In it, author Caroline Bourque shares insight into the results of a survey of some 900 interior design firm owners relative to shifting design industry trends, priorities, and practices.

It should go without saying (yet here we go saying it anyway) that the past few years have been some of the most challenging in the history of the design trade. From what some believed to be the end of the design business to a relative boom, challenging times persist. Whether you find yourself dealing with twitchy clients or coping with ongoing supply-chain issues, the survey reveals a few other hills to climb moving forward. (We know where you can get some great hiking boots!)

Increasing Labor Costs Forcing Design Rates Upward

“As [interior design] firms increase compensation, squeezing a business’s net profit and margins, they’ve also been forced to raise their rates – a decision that’s being met with some client pushback.”

This “pushback” from clients appears to be a direct result of those aforementioned escalations in interior design fees and “long timelines in the wake of [ongoing] supply chain issues and material shortages.”

The response from many designers has been an exploration of set fees. “While the report reveals that 80 percent of designers still charge hourly fees or hourly plus markup, [other] firms are beginning to trend toward fixed fees, which are used solely or in addition to hourly rates by 40 percent of respondents [to the survey].”

This then creates a new problem for a significant number of designers: undervaluing their services and setting their fixed fees too low. “Nearly two-thirds of all firms charge $200 [per hour] or less, with most charging $150 [per hour] or less. Meanwhile, the majority of smaller, newer firms charge less than $150 per hour.”

Administrative Challengers are Increasing

“Changing billing practices was one of the top strategies to address current business challenges,” for a majority of respondents. Further, “maintaining contact with current and former clients; increasing networking with local building and real estate professionals, contractors and service providers; and improving social media presence” were also problematic.

“Along with a detailed look at information like average gross sales, salaries, and benefits, the report also includes observations and insights about this period of new industry highs and lows.”

If you have questions about these design industry trends and how they are affecting your business, Ted remains available for business consulting to the trade. Simply… Contact TD Fall today.

Design Industry Trends – Shifting Priorities and Practices

Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll explore a few important industry issues based on an article at BusinessOfHome.com. In it, author Caroline Bourque shares insight into the results of a survey of some 900 interior design firm owners relative to shifting design industry trends, priorities, and practices.

It should go without saying (yet here we go saying it anyway) that the past few years have been some of the most challenging in the history of the design trade. From what some believed to be the end of the design business to a relative boom in business, challenging times persist. Whether you find yourself dealing with twitchy clients or coping with ongoing supply-chain issues, the survey reveals a few other hills to climb moving forward. (Gee, thanks!)

Labor Challenges Persist

As this snapshot of the design businesses reveals, Top of the Pops so to speak appears to be hiring. “The survey found that roughly a third of firms increased staff size in the past year, with slightly more planning to do so in the coming year. Meanwhile, nearly half of all firms attempted to hire staff during the past year, even if they weren’t successful with design assistants and interior designers as the most in-demand new roles.”

The major challenge in the current labor market seems to be the increased expectations of the candidates, “with priorities that include health benefits, flexibility, engaging leadership, and much higher compensation.”

“Candidates today have higher expectations of new positions. In some cases, the survey found entry-level candidates with one to three years of experience requesting salaries in the mid- or higher-level range, up to $50,000 rather than the former entry-level standard of $30,000.”

“In turn, designers seeking new hires reported a lack of candidates that were available: qualified, affordable, and a good cultural fit for the firm … which, coupled with many designers leaving established firms to start their own businesses during the pandemic, puts the onus on firm leaders to adjust their own practices to attract and retain new talent.”

For smaller firms whose owners often struggle mightily to compete in the marketplace, both a lack of candidates and demands for greater compensation will require them to focus on culture and values. This will likely include honesty, customer service as a value, a focus on creativity, and making the workplace fun.

Design Fees, Margins, and Profitability

Stay tuned for more insight on design fees, margins, and profitability we’ve gleaned from the article and survey soon. For now, we believe you have plenty to think about from what we’ve shared above.

If you have questions about these design industry trends and how they are affecting your business, Ted remains available for business consulting to the trade. Simply… Contact TD Fall today.

Business Growth and Change – Lessons Learned from Both

A couple of interesting articles at the IandS.Design website recently caught our eye(s). From managing client expectations in our recently changed world to lessons we might learn from the past (where else could they be from?), we began pondering just how much these changes might affect business growth.

Not to get too philosophical here but, the Universe has managed to once again remind us that change is the only constant in our lives. How we respond to it, and the lessons we learn from it, will largely dictate our success in both life and business. And, not to get too pedantic about it but, acceptance is the key to adapting to the changes recently wrought upon our world.

Business Lessons Learned – Design Client Needs

Many designers like to declare themselves a “boutique house”, with all that implies. Too often, such houses are more than happy to sign just about any client who comes along, contradicting their claims of a customized, intimate feeling that makes their clients seem special. Rather, growing the business is their true priority, often beyond their ability to control.

This type of business philosophy is counter to what the average homeowner wants their interior designer to offer.

For author Michael Thomas, business growth is no longer a priority: “The first lesson is to keep a small, manageable number of clients – where quality services can be consistently provided. In times past, it seems that growth was added for the sake of growth – taking advantage of abundant numbers of clients and seemingly lucrative projects. It was the ‘bigger is better’ mentality that overtook a number of us. Adding more projects often meant the need to add more staff, additional workspace and with those, the increasing costs associated with such overhead.”

Further, many of today’s homeowners feel the need for increased emphasis on mental well-being. As explained by Pierluca Roccheggiani, U.S. design director and vice president of luis vidal + architects in another context, folks are "increasingly looking for specific areas dedicated to relaxation and calmness, like yoga rooms and meditation areas. Bringing natural light and open buildings to exterior views plays an important role … Another design aspect that has been increasingly sought-after post-pandemic is access to outdoor space. It’s becoming a vital component for comfort and well-being.”

Naturally, the first concept, that of keeping one’s client list smaller and more manageable, makes the second concept much easier to follow, that is, knowing your clients well enough to offer them the well-being they’re seeking.

Business Lessons Learned – Designer Needs

Perhaps one of the most difficult lessons for interior designers and even furnishing dealers to learn is again expressed by Mr. Thomas: “The next lesson is to become much more ‘choosy’ about which clients to take on.”

After all, when someone is offering hard cash for your products or services, it seems exceptionally counterproductive to refuse their business. Yet, one must keep in mind that not all clients are created equal and that too many of them are more trouble than they’re worth. Running a business (and a life) is difficult enough without the hassle of a bad client.

“Next, build strong alliances with others who have the same or similar profiles of clients. Collaborate with professionals whose expertise is complementary (not competing) with your own. Develop ways to share common workspaces, as well as marketing and operational expenses such as administrative staff.”

In other words, shared values, a similar business philosophy, and acceptance of the fact that finding business allies with whom we can engage will make all of us stronger and more adaptable to change.

Finally, feel free to display your expertise in a niche that matches your talents and training. Clearly, doing this will increase your comfort level and should help you to find the business growth you need to succeed without overtaxing your ability to keep your business running smoothly.

If any of these ideas resonate with you but you’re having trouble implementing them, Ted’s 25-plus years in the trade makes him an excellent business consultant for both interior designers and luxury furnishing dealers. Simply… Contact TD Fall today.

Email Marketing Tips - Success in 7 Easy Steps

Many of us have grown tired of the daily hassle of deleting unwanted email pitches from unknown marketing sites every day, sometimes many times a day. Yet, email marketing remains an effective tool for promoting your products or services – if used correctly – and not abused.

The seven steps that are critical to success in an email marketing campaign are:

1. Define the target audience for your email campaign

2. Set your email marketing goals

3. Create fresh, engaging content

4. Settle on the frequency of your email campaign

5. Establish a timeline and editorial calendar for your email campaign

6. Choose an email marketing service

7. Track your results and modify your plan accordingly

If you're new to the concept of email marketing, you may have no idea what the listed steps mean. So, let’s define our terms a bit and help you better grasp what each of these 7 Easy Steps for Email Marketing Success means.

• Define the target audience for your email campaign

It goes without saying that regular visitors to your website or blog appreciate the information you have to offer. The key to growth is to increase the size of your audience, and email marketing is a great tool for doing this. Determine exactly who it is that is visiting your site on a regular basis, and work to tailor your message for them.

• Set your email marketing goals

Every email you send to your list should include a call-to-action: whether you are trying to build a larger audience; generate more shares in the social network; have recipients get in touch with you for more information; or make a sale. Whatever you would like your recipients to do, you must ask them to do it.

• Create fresh, engaging content

Stale content in an email; that is, content that has been previously featured on your blog or website, will generally not inspire your audience to take the action you are asking them to take. Timely, compelling content is always preferred when you ask your audience to take action.

• Settle on the frequency of your email campaign

Daily emails are annoying. Even weekly promotional emails can upset your audience. Based on the nature and value of the information you have to offer, as well as how time-critical it may be, once or twice a month is usually more than sufficient for an email marketing campaign.

• Establish a timeline and editorial calendar for your email campaign

Once you’ve determined the frequency of your outgoing emails, you must create a calendar for creating your content and a timeline for sending out your emails. Doing this will help you to remain consistent, which is something your readers will appreciate.

• Choose an email marketing service

Email marketing services such as icontact, Mailchimp, and constant contact have a proven track record of successful support for effective email marketing campaigns, regardless of the niche involved. The services are not free, nor are they cheap, but their value simply cannot be argued.

• Track your results and modify your plan accordingly

The services mentioned above all can provide you with critical information on the success of your email campaign; including who is reading your emails, who is sharing your emails, who is clicking through for more information, and who is buying, among other things. Another critical feature of these services is to help you ensure that your list contains only those who've agreed to receive your emails.

Of course, if you still have questions about this email marketing tip, Ted has more than 25 years of experience helping designers and furnishing dealers market their businesses successfully. Simply… Contact TD Fall today.

Being an Expert Can Interfere with Your Messaging

While it’s not especially flattering to admit, we all tend to seek approval from others. Being an expert in a particular niche, that sort of confirmation will most commonly come from others in your field. Yeah, so?

So, it should come as no surprise that those with similar interests find comfort and support by associating with each other. Educators tend to associate with educators; online coaches tend to hang together; website designers and marketers are often most comfortable with others of a like mind and profession. Whole industries can become exclusive and the subjects of discussion among experts can frequently climb to higher and higher levels.

In fact, this is the very reason industry-related associations exist.

The danger with such insular relationships is two-fold: first, that our view of the world can become dangerously narrow, and second, that we may forget who butters our bread – those with less knowledge.

Why Messaging is So Critical to Online Marketing Success

We’ve written about this before, but it seems important enough to mention it again. The reason for this redundancy in our messaging should be obvious by now. It is that not everyone “gets it” the first time around (or maybe even the second). That is precisely why well-crafted messaging is so critical to your online marketing success.

Receiving support from other experts is rewarding, but what happens when you're thrown together with a group of laypeople; or just one, a potential client?

Both clients and prospects will commonly voice a desire but, because they lack the base of knowledge to make it happen, they search for an expert. In the “information age”, they’ll jump online to search for solutions but will surely need more.

That is where you come in. And that is where your experience, your respect for them, and their efforts to learn, will enable you to deliver a message that will resonate with them – and help you close more clients.

While you obviously can’t “know too much” about your area of expertise, you must always be mindful that most of your clients and prospects will know far less than you. It’s your job to help them learn what they need to make an informed buying decision.

When you're able to use being an expert to help them, the fact that you're the one who did so should take care of the rest. (That is, closing the sale.)

Need Help with Your Expert Messaging?

If you still have questions, we can help with that too. Well, Ted can. With more than 25 years of experience in the trade, he offers business consulting that includes messaging for designers and dealers. For more… Contact TD Fall today.

Content Marketing Tip – The 5-Minute Content Plan

Are you a list-maker, in your head, on paper, or digitally? Then this post is definitely for you. On the other hand, for those of you who dislike listing to-do stuff and feel like lists are somehow limiting, it’s time for us to set you free with this content marketing tip!

We hope that, by now, you know we believe strongly in the power of content marketing as the key to growing your business online. However, once you get your head wrapped around that little gem, a new challenge rears its head: what should you write about?

Well, you need to create a content plan.

And so, you ask, “Just where do all these fantastic ideas for creating content come from?”

Take it as a given that you're not alone in wondering. We get that. We also get that it’s vital for you to also understand that, in the highly competitive world of online marketing, you simply cannot “wing it” with your content.

As with everything that has to do with online marketing, you need to take a strategic approach. You need to make a plan for creating high-value content that attracts both the search engines and your target audience. Believe it – without a solid content plan, you will continue to struggle to create something that has value, engages your audience, and converts.

But, hey. Once again, we’re here to help and support you by letting you know that there is a very simple way to create a solid content plan that you can complete in 5-10 minutes – literally!

The 5-Minute Content Plan

If you're willing to invest just 5 minutes of your time and energy, your new content plan can be completed in five minutes. Then it will become the foundation for all of the content that you produce, for three months, or six months, even up to a year. Here is a step-by-step process for creating a fresh content plan:

1. Grab a blank piece of paper – landscape not portrait (Wait! Did we say “paper”? Who uses paper anymore?)

2. At the top, write your topic title – “Interior Design Content Plan” (as just one example)

3. Below that, list 5-7 category topics – broad subject areas that matter to your prospects or clients, and you!

4. Next, give yourself five minutes to list as many related sub-topics as you can think of – specific issues or pain points you or your clients may deal with regularly

5. After five minutes – stop and check your list (You can expand on it whenever you need to)

6. Keep it close at all times, in a place where you see it every day – tape it to the wall near your desk or pin it to your dog’s tail. (NOT! LOL). Just make sure you have easy and regular access to your new content plan.

Wonder of wonders, you now have more than a dozen clearly defined subject ideas! And yes, this works for all types of content: blog posts, videos, social media content, emails and newsletters, articles, opt-in freebies – even ideas for products and services!

Tada! No more saying, “I don’t know what to write about!” Because you will!

Content Plan Example

Need a little clarification? Check out the content plan example below.

Easy peasy, right?

It should go without saying that the categories and subject ideas for each will vary from designer to designer and business to business.  (Which is great, BTW.) This is just an example. But, it should be clear just how you can use your areas of interest, training, experience with past clients, and even market forces to determine what each will be.

Two of the best things about this approach are: 1) none of it is etched in stone and it can be revised at any time; 2) you now have a plan of action in place. You can finally stop trying to improvise your content and hope for the best!

And finally, while the details of your content plan will be different, the basics of this approach are the same everywhere and this exercise can work – and has worked – for thousands of entrepreneurs and online business owners.

What would your categories and sub-topics be after investing five minutes in this content plan exercise? Feel free to share a few ideas with us by commenting below.

Of course, if you still have questions about this content marketing tip that we didn’t answer in this post, Ted has more than 25 years of experience helping designers and furnishing dealers market their businesses successfully. Simply… Contact TD Fall today.

Building Trust Online – The Ultimate Challenge

Apparently, it’s not at all uncommon for contemporary Americans to have trust issues these days. (Pew Research) Whether we distrust each other, our government, or corporations, trust is on the decline. This makes building trust online difficult at best, and always challenging.

And, as with any relationship, once trust is lost – it’s likely gone forever. So, be careful. Not only is building trust with prospects difficult in the world of internet marketing, but keeping their trust is just as challenging.

The internet is an impersonal environment for shopping (or most anything else). It cares not for your needs and wants, or for those of potential clients. It simply sits there, always waiting and seeming omnipotent when, without our active participation, it’s impotent.

What does this mean for the typical online marketer? It means that you must actively seek the trust of visitors to your business website. You must create valuable content for them and build your reputation as an expert. You must be active on social media. You must show empathy and understanding of their pain points. You must actively listen and communicate, responding to comments and questions in a timely fashion.

You know, just like a face-to-face relationship!

Now, with some help from an article titled 16 Effective Ways Business Can Build Trust Online at Forbes (a very trustworthy place), we’d like to share a few of the ideas for building trust online – and keeping it.

Building and Keeping Trust Online

“Human beings already have a hard time trusting people they can't see. An online space can therefore be the worst possible place for a professional to try to build consumers' trust.”

• Show You Really Understand Your Audience – Demonstrate that you really do understand your audience, their challenges, hopes, fears and what they put up with. And then be direct and honest about why that matters to you, why they matter to you, and what makes you and your team stay in the game every day to make a difference for your audience, to help them achieve their dreams. That clarity, truth and focus will build trust.

• Speak Your Voice – Allow your voice of truth to shine; don't hide behind an avatar of what you think people would like of you. Be you. Customers want to know that they are speaking to a human being with real emotions and a real voice. Our unique voice draws people who are like us. Think about why we go back to a particular shop — it's because in that place we were conversed with in a way that we enjoy.

• Be Consistent and Follow Through – Be consistent, take responsibility, and follow through! If you want to build trust online, you must “show up” consistently. Have a clear point of view and/or position and don't appear scattered. When you receive negative feedback, take responsibility and acknowledge issues or shortcomings. Vow to do better, then follow through and improve.

• Be Transparent and Available – Things that build trust offline will work online, too. Be yourself; most people can sense phony. Be transparent. Ironically, if you are hiding something, it will show. Be honest and avoid claims you cannot back up. Be available in other ways than just online, be accessible and approachable. Be a raving fan of your customers. They are much more likely to trust you if YOU cheer for THEM!

• Create A Sense of Intimacy – It's all about your relevance. Use the time to create a sense of intimacy, showcasing your credibility and insight into their issues. Your value and ability to deliver will invite at least a follow-up conversation.

• Live Out Your Brand Promises – Be trustworthy. From top leadership to the front line, be whom you claim to be. Live out your brand promises, day in, day out, even when it's challenging. Do the right things. Online and offline, your customers will be sure to share when you deserve trust, and when you fail to deserve their confidence.

• Interact on Social Media – Interact more with customers online. We often forget the social part of social media. Trust is built in small actions over time, and each online interaction is an opportunity to build (or destroy) trust.

The challenge for building trust online is obvious: not only establishing your reputation but living up to it. It’s just that simple, and just that difficult.

With more than 25 years of experience in the trade, Ted can offer you valuable reputation management and trust-building tips as your business consultant. Simply… Contact TD Fall today.