Business networking advice from Andy Lopata: absence of trust is not distrust

Nine times out of ten, the first time you meet someone you don’t trust them and they don’t trust you – it’s just human nature. This should be no obstacle to a future business relationship, however, according to business expert Andy Lopata.

Sharing business networking advice on his regular TV show on online business TV network yourBusinessChannel, Lopata expands on this point and explains how it can influence your business networking strategy.

It is absolutely normal to not trust a person that you don’t know. And no one running a smart business networking strategy will pass referrals on to a person that they don’t trust. So how do you get over this paradox? In his business networking advice, Lopata gives the answer.

The key is to realise that there is no negative implication when you say you don’t trust someone. It simply reflects the fact that you don’t know them well enough to trust them.

But lack of trust is not the same as distrust, says Lopata in his business networking advice.

You should design your business networking strategy so that when you are first introduced to a person, you start from a position of neutrality.

In his business networking advice, Lopata recommends that you suspend your distrust of the new person. Don’t pass on your best clients and referrals immediately.

Instead, your business networking strategy should allow you to build up positive trust over time. Lopata goes on to give business networking advice on techniques for building positive trust, such as establishing credibility, and introducing the new person to existing contacts who already trust you.

Another great way to create positive trust, he says, is to assist them in their own business.

Lopata gives business networking advice every week on his business TV shows here on yourBusinessChannel. All these shows are free to view.