It’s sad to say, but true, that you can set yourself apart from your competition by simply being honest.

How often are you frustrated by feeling you’ve been “taken” by the cable company, the phone company, the car dealer, and more? Those who take the low road have made it difficult for even the most savvy to trust anyone.

As a business owner and salesperson, I find that trust takes time to build. However, it is easy to do. I take the simple route of being straightforward and honest. Not all web developers do this: It is really easy to dance around the truth when your product is complicated and similar to all that stuff under the hood of the car. You need to trust your web developer the way you trust your doctor or mechanic.

In talking with clients, there are many moments when it would be easier to gloss over things, or even outright lie. The news I deliver is not always good news, but simply keeping to the truth at all times builds the trust needed for a long-lasting business relationship. Consistency and honesty are the most important traits that have helped position me as a good business partner for many small businesses.

Read this great article on honesty and clarity – it helped me understand a little more about why honesty works, which goes hand in hand with it just being the right thing to do.

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net