Turst and Business Development

Just posted this on Suzi Pomerantz's Blog, whic I enjoy: www.suzipomerantz.com

The best business development advice I know started with the work of Aristotle in his book Rhetoric. He said that in order for speakers to be believable, they had to do three things well: Show good sense, good character and good will. These three elements comprise: Trust. With high trust, there is no customer you can’t work with and without it no customer you can work with.
Good Sense is basic competency in your business. In short, knowing your business well. To be of value and even competitive, you must know the substance of your craft.
Good Character is all about honesty, integrity and courage to do the right thing. If a client sees that you stand for what you say…say-do, you deliver what you promise, and make things right when you don’t, there’s little they won’t do for you.
Good Will: Simply put, clients must believe that you have their best interest at heart—you care for them in an enduring way. Trust comes not as a one-shot deal but a sustained relationship that good clients want.
Final word—to be trusted you need all three of these (Good Sense, Good Character & Good Will)…not one or two. And if you do, watch the clients you get and the referrals they’ll send your way.