Trust Signals

<p><em style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)">What is a trust signal?</em></p><p><br></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)">Let's say you're interested in a book you aren't familiar with-</span><em style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)">this book</em><span style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)">, for example.&nbsp;</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)">Before you buy it, you wonder, "Can I </span><em style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)">trust</em><span style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)"> this author?" Can you trust that their book will be worth your money and your time?</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)">The author, in turn, tries to </span><em style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)">prove</em><span style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)"> their trustworthiness in a number of ways:</span></p><p><br></p><ul><li><span style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)">An accomplished and relevant biography</span></li><li><span style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)">Glowing praise from well-known people on the cover</span></li><li><span style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)">Five-star reviews on Amazon</span></li><li><span style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)">Acclaim on social media by people you follow</span></li><li><span style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)">Coverage in news media outlets you know and respect</span></li></ul><p><br></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)">These are examples of </span><em style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)">trust signals</em><span style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)">, the points of evidence that individuals, companies, and brands use to win one another's trust.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)">Mastering these signals is the single best way to build, grow, and protect your brand in today's post-truth world-where trust is the most precious commodity of all.</span></p>