How To Build Know, Like & Trust Without Feeling Salesy
How to Build Know, Like, & Trust Without Feeling Salesy
How to Build Know, Like, & Trust Without Feeling Salesy
Introduction
We’ve all seen it—the desperate sales pitch dropped in your inbox, the generic product post flooding your feed, the friend who only talks about their business. You can feel the “ick” immediately, right?
Here’s the good news: selling on social media doesn’t have to feel pushy or awkward. In fact, the best social sellers don’t “pitch” at all—they build something far more powerful: Know, Like, and Trust (KLT).
When your audience knows you, likes you, and trusts you, selling becomes the natural next step. Let’s explore what KLT really means, when it develops, and where it shows up in your business—so you can grow without ever feeling salesy.
What: The 3 Stages of KLT
Know
This is visibility. Your audience recognizes you, sees your content, and understands what you do. If they don’t know who you are or what you offer, they can’t buy from you.
Example: Updating your profile to clearly say “Helping women build confidence and grow with social selling” instantly makes you memorable.
Like
This is connection. People like you when they see pieces of themselves in your story. They resonate with your personality, humor, or journey. They don’t want perfection—they want real.
Example: Sharing the story of your messy middle (the time you felt stuck or confused) makes your audience think: “She gets me.”
Trust
This is credibility. Your audience believes you can deliver results. They see proof through testimonials, your consistency, and the way you show up online. Trust is the foundation that makes a “yes” possible.
Example: Highlighting stories of transformation (your own or clients’) builds belief that you can help them too.
When: Trust Doesn’t Happen Overnight
Building KLT takes time. You don’t instantly become the go-to person in your niche after one post or one DM. Think about your own habits—you’ve probably followed someone for months before ever buying.
When KLT develops most strongly:
Over weeks and months of consistent posting
During life moments you share that reveal your authenticity
Through repeated exposure to your message across platforms
Patience pays. Every interaction is either a deposit into or withdrawal from the trust bank.
Where: KLT Is Built Everywhere You Show Up
Profiles & Bios
Your audience checks your bio before they check your offer. If it’s vague or unclear, trust stalls immediately.
Posts & Captions
Your content should rotate between value, connection, engagement, and sales. Each type plays a role in building KLT.
Stories & Lives
Stories and live videos are where your audience sees the “real you.” Trust accelerates when they see consistency in your daily presence.
Comments & DMs
How you respond in conversations builds (or breaks) KLT. People remember how you make them feel.
The Myth of Being “Salesy”
Here’s the truth: being salesy doesn’t come from making offers—it comes from skipping KLT. When you try to sell before your audience knows, likes, or trusts you, it feels forced.
But when you’ve built KLT, your offers feel natural. Your audience sees you as the solution they’ve been waiting for.
The Signs You’re Doing KLT Right
People comment “This is me!” on your posts.
Followers DM you first, asking questions.
Your content gets shared because it resonates.
You see engagement rise even before you start selling.
These are indicators that KLT is forming—and that sales will follow.
Takeaway
Selling without feeling salesy is about focusing on what KLT means, when it develops, and where it shows up.
When you prioritize Know, Like, and Trust, sales become a natural by-product of relationships—not pressure tactics.
Time-To-Take-Action
The how to weave KLT into your daily content strategy—that’s what I teach inside the SOS Starter Club. It’s where you’ll learn step-by-step frameworks to consistently build trust that leads to sales.
