During challenging times, business leaders start running around looking for new marketing wonder-gigits and social media miracles, believing that, with the RIGHT tool, their marketing needs will be solved and a steady stream of qualified customers will come flooding in the door. But, as much as we wish it otherwise, there are no "shortcuts" to building trust – and trust is the key component to effective branding and marketing.

In the book Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace…One School at a Time, Greg Mortenson tells about the process required to build trust in Baltistan (northern Pakistan). He relates a Baltistani proverb: "The first time you share tea with a Balti, you are a stranger. The second time, you are an honored guest. The third time you become family." Whether your trust building efforts require more or less than three “touches,” the idea is right on. If you want to be welcomed and trusted, you have to be willing to invest the time to be invited and known.

Take a few moments to consider how you could improve your “trust-building.” Once you have a few ideas, give yourself a deadline to put something into practice.