Many people who have seen my seminars across the country have heard me use the expression, “It’s nice to be liked, but it is always better to be trusted.”
I can’t emphasize enough how important trust is,in business and in life. When you violate someone’s trust, you not only upset the relationship, but you also create a situation in which the other person will have a hard time believing you again.
I’d like to offer a few tips on building and keeping trust:
1. BE HONEST: It really is the best policy in business and in life. Also, admit a mistake when you make one. An increasing number of people conduct business unethically because our world has accepted cheating and lying as okay. It’s not if you have a conscience. Studies show that liars rarely correct themselves or admit misstatements. So, if you are honest and want others to see you as such, fess up when you don’t know something or have made a mistake.
2. STOP THE B.S.: If lying, cheating and stealing is your way of getting to the top, chill out and stop the B.S. You’re probably a tense and nervous person because you’re always having to remember the “stories” you’ve told. Whether you know it or not, most people can see right through you. Make today the day for change. You’ll find that sincere and honest behavior will open many more doors for you.
3. LEARN TO LISTEN: 80% of language is non-verbal, and everyone wants to feel heard. So, when someone is speaking to you, sincerely listen with your ears, body, mind and heart. If you do, you will find a dramatic and positive increase in the way people respond to you – in life and in sales.
4. KEEP GOOD COMPANY: You can often tell that someone is a successful person by the company he/she keeps, so build relationships with experienced, credentialed, respected and positive people.
5. GET INFORMED: Becoming a “go to” person by being informed encourages people to trust you. Always be willing to answer questions and if you don’t know an answer, to find out. It is important to be a well-rounded source of information, so in addition to having knowledge related to DJing, become educated on business, current trends and worldly matters, as well.
6. HAVE CONFIDENCE: Self-confidence is extremely important in almost every aspect of our lives, yet so many people struggle to find it. Self-confident people inspire confidence in others: their audience, their peers, their customers, and their family and friends. Gaining the confidence of others is one of the key ways in which a self-confident person finds success.
7. GIVE COMPLIMENTS: People generally seem more quick to criticize than they do to compliment. Don’t be one of them. Instead, be generous and gracious about saying nice things and doing favors for others.
8. BE CONSISTENT: To establish long-term relationships based on trust, it is important to be consistent in the way you deal with people. If you consistently do business ethically by under promising and over delivering – and by keeping your word of honor, you will see greater rewards on a more consistent basis. Remember that your business is a reflection of who you are as a person.
I think Sarah McLachlan got it right when she said, “I’ve learned to trust myself, to listen to truth, to not be afraid of it, and to not try and hide it.”
Ray Martinez – “Unbridled Inspiration”
Ray Martinez of “Ray Mar Productions” in Arizona, is the most accredited person in the mobile DJ industry. A 30+ year veteran, Ray’s accomplishments include: 2006 American Disc Jockey Hall of Fame Inductee; 2003 National Male Entertainer of the Year, American Disc Jockey Awards; 2001 & 2002 ADJA Southern California Entertainer of the Year; Author, “Performance Beyond Expectation” and “Music From My Heart, Orchestrating Your Business and Your Life;” Vice President-Board of Directors of N.A.M.E. (National Association of Mobile Entertainers); Executive Director, CrossMix-Christian DJ Association; Lifetime Member-American Disc Jockey Association; Former National Director of the ADJA, Former Vice President of the ADJA So. California Chapter; Ambassador and Endorsed Artist for QSC Audio. To contact him, email [email protected].
