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The Trust Building Framework for Local Businesses - Neal Polachek

Gordon Henry • Oct 08, 2020

Today's Guest

The ThinkLikeAnApp Methodology is helping businesses anticipate the future to succeed in the present. Neal Polachek, the founder of ThinkLikeAnApp, explains what it means and how you can apply it to build trust with your customers.

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Episode Summary

In early 2019 I was asked by a media company to give a presentation to their clients about the customer journey. As I thought about that presentation I found myself staring at my phone and the idea struck me for ThinkLikeAnApp. Now that does not mean every business needs to build an app but rather it is a framework for thinking about how we engage with our customers.


ThinkLikeAnApp is the framework for why small business owners should adopt technology. There are three pillars to the framework authenticity, transparency, and immediacy. Which if you put those pillars together you create the triangle of trust. Now more than ever trust is critical to your success. 


When it comes to creating authenticity it is simply letting people know who you are. Whatever business you are in you have to convey to your customers who you are and why they should do business with you. When your customers can feel your emotion coming through your messaging or branding then you can create those authentic connections. 


Transparency is about letting people see behind the curtain of your business. There’s a saying that “nobody wants to see how the sausage gets made” but that’s simply not true. People love to feel connected to the process of how a product or service is delivered. 


When you think about immediacy just take a look at your phone. How many emails are unopened and how many text messages have you not read. Because texting is so immediate we tend to look at it more quickly and respond. That doesn’t mean you have to work 24/7 but you need to have a process in place to handle inquiries quickly. 


We are working on an educational course to not only help business owners understand the why but also how to implement this framework in their business. How to translate core values into your authentic voice, how to figure out what business processes you can expose to your customer, and what processes you can make more immediate for your customers. 


Resources Shared

Jay Schwedelson | Winning on Main Street Small Business Podcast
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Malcolm Peace | Winning On Main Street Small Business Podcast
By Malcolm Peace 28 Dec, 2023
Malcolm Peace is the founder and president of Tsetserra Growth Partners. He’s a native of Austin, TX. He is passionate about assisting family-owned small businesses in building enduring legacies. He specifically works with acquiring and running blue-collar industrial businesses in Texas and working with small business owners to drive long-term growth and profitability. He takes pride in helping family-owned small businesses sustain a lasting legacy. Succession planning is an integral part of his efforts. As a result, he focuses on building businesses up instead of tearing out people and processes.
Matt Murray | Winning on Main Street Small Business Podcast
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