Trust Agents (Revised and Updated): Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust

Written by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith

Narrated by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith

The revised and updated edition of the breakthrough bestseller
Trust Agents has been widely acclaimed for its new approach to online marketing. Now, in this revised and updated edition, social media veterans Chris Brogan and Julien Smith show you how to tap into the power of social networks to build your brand's influence, reputation, and profits. Combining high-level theory and practical advice, they deliver actionable strategies and real case studies that show how social media can positively impact your business. Let Trust Agents give you the keys to building customer loyalty online so your business can succeed in new markets and channels today!

There's no question that the Internet has changed the way we do business-especially when it comes to marketing. Consumer environments are short on trust and populated by consumers who are cynical, savvy, and informed. Though it's easier than ever to reach your customers, it's less likely that they'll listen. Today, the most valuable online currency isn't the dollar, but trust itself.

At the same time, social networks and personal connections have far more influence on consumers than your marketing messages ever will-unless your business knows how to harness them. In Trust Agents, two social media veterans show you how to tap into the power of these networks to build your brand's influence, reputation, and profits.

Trust agents aren't necessarily marketers or salespeople; they're the digitally savvy people who use the Web to humanize businesses using transparency, honesty, and genuine relationships. As a result, they wield enough online influence to build up or bring down a business's reputation. This audio book will show you how to build profitable relationships with trust agents, or become one yourself.

In an online world defined by its transparency, becoming a trust agent is no easy task, but once you've established your reputation, you can build influence, share it, and reap the benefits of it for your business. When you've learned a trust agent's secrets, your words can carry more power and more weight than any PR firm or big corporate marketing department.

Learn to use the power of the Web and social networks for your business now. Trust Agents gives you all the tools and strategies you need to do it the right way-honestly, effectively, and profitably.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ascent Audio
• Release date: Nov 8, 2010
• ISBN: 9781596596900

Reviews for Trust Agents (Revised and Updated)

[rutherford_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a great book, combining sound theory, relevant examples and actionable suggestions with an easy readable style. The main premise is that cultivating ‘trust’ will enable you and your business to succeed. Most of this is talked about in terms of social networks or online media – but the key points can be practiced offline as well – be a trusted advisor and people will gravitate towards you when they need something, and then trust you with their information and leads.It is sage advice indeed – and I ripped through this in a few days, coming away with some great suggestions on how to increase trust. Chris Brogan has an authentic voice in this area – having established a successful blog and social network, as well as putting his money where his mouth is – he is even open to giving the book away for charities and non profits.The book proposes that it will help you drive sales, get hired without a resume or just make your business more awesome than the others. At the very least, it will be a disruptive influence in your current working styles, and that is never a bad thingI wouldn’t disagree with any of that – I am confident this book will help you develop any relationship you have, beyond business.

[rightantler · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In 2007 I read Scoble and Israel's Naked Conversations. I was about a year late but found it of tremendous value. In some ways Trust Agents is the 2009 version of the same book with a focus on becoming a Trust Agent. It is likely to have the same value as Naked Conversations and will sit next to it on my bookshelf

[dougcornelius_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Are You Trying to be a Trust Agent?Yes? Then you have probably already read at least part of Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust, the new book from Chris Brogan and Julien Smith.Most likely, you are wondering what a “Trust Agent” is supposed to be.“Trust agents have established themselves as being non-sales-oriented, non-high pressure marketers. Instead, they are digital natives using the web to be genuine and to humanize their business.”The main premise is that cultivating “trust” will enable you and your business to succeed. They talk about creating this trust using social networks and online media. Be a trust agent and people will gravitate towards you when they need something, and then trust you with their information and leads. The book combines some theory, with the author’s success stories, other relevant examples and actionable suggestions.Unfortunately, I found big chunks of the book to miss the mark for my involvement on the web. My original jump into the web was to see how these tools would work as knowledge management tools inside an organization. I found these web 2.0 tools were well ahead of the enterprise tools. My approach in using the web is for personal knowledge management.These tools (including this blog) are for me to find the information I need to succeed at my job and to organize that information for reuse. I use web tools for selfish reasons. They are really good at helping me collect information. That others can leverage my work is a by-product. That these tools allow me to stay connected with colleagues is a by-product.Some of that stems from the nature of my job and my company. We don’t use the web to advance our corporate image. As the chief compliance officer I am not trying to sell anything, ever.But I do like staying connected with my colleagues and peers. There are many more people outside your organization who do what you do or have the information you need to succeed, than there are inside your organization.Trust Agents is about creating social capital. I think it could just as easily be called: “Don’t be a jerk online.” They go into a lot more detail than that and come up with six characteristics of Trust Agents.1. Make your own game.Try new ways of doing things. Stand out from the crowd. First movers have an advantage. They quote Warren Buffet on when to enter a market: “Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful.”2. Be one of us.Be part of the community. Don’t be the self-promotional jerk in the community who is continually handing out business cards and asking for business. Contribute to the community. You need to give first if you want to receive. The more you give, the better.3. Use the Archimedes EffectArchimedes propositioned that if he had a long enough lever and a fulcrum on which to place it, he could move the world. Leverage your message.4. Try to be Agent ZeroCultivate your personal networks and recognize their value. Connect with good people. Connect between different groups.5. Become a human artist.Learn how to work well with people and help empower people. You need to learn the etiquette and start off by listening to the community before you burst in with a full head of steam.6. Build an army.You can’t do it alone. You need to find people who are willing to collaborate with you.If these concept resonate with you, then it is worth your time to read the book. If you are just starting out with web 2.0 tools you should heed the lessons in the book. Even if you are a wily veteran, you will find some useful information in this book.Trust Agents is a bit uneven at times. In places it reads more like a collection of blog posts instead of a coherent narrative. Some of their ideas are better flushed out than others. Those six characteristics don’t have equal weight.