I’m invited to lots of events by folks who are loosely in my network. Most of the time, the messages read something like this:
Erin, I’m excited to explore The Upside and will be digging in deeper next week. I’d love to personally invite you to our upcoming private, sold-out event in NYC on June 23. If the date works for you, you can claim your spot here: [link] I hope to see you there.
But 99% of the time, there’s a catch:
A hard sell.
A high price tag.
Intentions that aren’t clear.
I pretty much always pass on these invites and the reason is quite simple: Lack of trust.
Will it be a waste of my time? My money? My effort?
Who is this person? Will I like them? Will I feel valued?
But last week, I got one of these invites and it felt different.
I have no idea what this invite-only event will be about, who will be there, or what the outcome will be. Heck, I haven’t even found out where it is.
And yet, despite not knowing any of these details…
Within 5 minutes of reading the invite, I clicked the payment link and secured my spot because of who invited me.
Because whatever he’s doing, I want to be a part of it.
Let that sink in.
Because of trust…
Trust that he’ll make a positive impact,
Trust that our values are aligned,
Trust that this is a good decision,
Trust that I’ll have a good time,
Trust that he’s an expert,
Trust that he will deliver…
…I paid for something he was offering without even knowing what it was.
I was buying an experience with him, not a specific service, product, deliverable or promised outcome.
And here’s what I hope you’ll take away from this story:
✔️The people who already trust you are your biggest advocates and warmest leads. Keep going back to them.
✔️Relationships are your most valuable currency. Nurture them.
✔️Putting yourself out there helps build trust with people who feel aligned with you and/or your vision.
✔️Customize your outreach whenever possible and follow up. It’s worth the extra time to improve your results.
✔️Being yourself–writing in your own voice, sharing your vision, embracing the imperfections–will attract the people who will say YES, simply because you’re the person behind it all.
