It's a Good Life with Brian Buffini

Episode: Quick Cut: S2E341 Follow Up – The Key to Trust
Date: October 23, 2025

Brief Overview

In this impactful Quick Cut episode, Brian Buffini explores the pivotal role of trust in building successful business relationships. Centered on the key theme that “follow up is the key to trust,” Brian breaks down how entrepreneurs and professionals can nurture, maintain, and leverage trust to create advocates, generate referrals, and achieve sustained business growth. Using practical examples, statistics, and memorable quotes, he offers a blueprint for transforming customer relationships through consistent follow up and promise keeping.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Emptying the Trust Account

Trust requires ongoing effort and intentionality, not empty gestures.

• Trust as a Core Business Asset:
  “Trust is the most critical factor to the success of any and all relationships, both in business and in life.” (Brian Buffini, 00:17)
• The Trust Account Metaphor:
  Building trust is like making deposits into a “trust account” with customers; broken promises and poor communication are like withdrawals.
• Impact of Experiences:
  • Positive experiences lead 24% of customers to return for two years or more.
  • Negative experiences drive 39% to avoid the business for two years or more.
• The Danger of Silence:
  “In life, silence is golden. In business, silence is deadly.” (Brian Buffini, 01:00)
• The Value of Promise Keeping:
  To get referrals and grow, “you gotta be a promise keeper.”
• Trust Is Fragile:
  “Trust is built in drops, but lost in buckets.” (Brian Buffini, 02:20)
  Rebuilding lost trust is difficult and requires intentional communication and follow through.

2. Follow Up: Where Sales Are Made

• Quantifying Trust:
  Trusted companies can outperform others by up to 400%. (Deloitte study) Customers who trust a brand are 88% more likely to buy again.
• Follow Up Generates Referrals:
  For every industry—real estate, accounting, insurance—successful referrals always center on trust and systematic follow up.
• Scripting for Success:
  Longstanding dialogues Brian suggests using:
  • “Can I be of any help?”
  • “I want you to know how much I value our relationship.”
  • “Oh by the way, I'm never too busy for your referrals.”
• Memorable Quote:
  “David Horsager said, trust is not a soft skill. A lack of trust is your biggest expense.” (Brian Buffini referencing David Horsager, 04:30)
• Character & Competence:
  • People trust and like you (“character”) but need to be assured of your skill (“competence”).
  • When choosing between likeability and competence, most customers ultimately choose competence in business-critical moments.
• Building Touchpoints with Purpose:
  • Email, social media, mailings, gifts—all reinforce both character and competence.
  • Example: Sending information about market updates (competence) alongside tips on family vacations (relationship/character).
• The Power of Wowing Customers:
  “If people like you, they'll listen to you, but if they trust you, they'll do business with you.” (Quoting Zig Ziglar, 06:45)
• Persistence in Follow Up:
  60% of salespeople follow up once or twice, but most clients buy after five to twelve contacts.

3. How Advocates Are Created

• Turning Satisfied Clients into Raving Fans:
  • Citing Ken Blanchard: “Just having satisfied customers isn't good enough anymore. If you really want a booming business, you have to create raving fans.”
• Becoming the Trusted Advisor:
  • Brian describes how he positioned himself as the “voice of value” and community connector in his real estate business, even publishing a yearly referral directory of trusted vendors.
• Accessibility and Presence:
  • “Be present, be accessible, make sure the clients...know how to reach you and that you're available to help them with anything they need.” (Brian Buffini, 08:30)
• Reminding for Referrals:
  • “Oh, by the way, I'm never too busy for your referrals.”
    • Many clients hesitate to refer because they don’t want to “bother” you, so consistent reassurance is critical.
• The Power of Little Gestures:
  “Small gestures make a huge difference. Meet those emotional needs, you make an advocate for life.”
• Service Mindset:
  • “One customer, well taken care of could be more valuable than $10,000 worth of advertising.” (Quoting Jim Rohn, 08:53)
• Summary Advice:
  • Make the promise, keep the promise, become the trusted advisor, and always remind people you’re there to serve and receive referrals.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Trust’s Fragility:
  “Trust is built in drops, but lost in buckets.” (Brian Buffini, 02:20)

• On Silence in Business:
  “In life, silence is golden. In business, silence is deadly.” (Brian Buffini, 01:00)

• On Systematic Follow Up:
  “Our whole marketing system, the Referral Maker Pro kit...is designed to generate connections and contact with people.” (Brian Buffini, 04:00)

• On Character vs. Competence:
  “People will trust competence over the likability character factor. When push comes to shove, I can deal with a doctor with a bad bedside manner if I think he or she [is] technically very good.” (Brian Buffini, 05:10)

• On Customer Advocacy:
  “Just having satisfied customers isn't good enough anymore. If you really want a booming business, you have to create raving fans.” (Quoting Ken Blanchard, 07:45)

• On Service Mindset:
  “One customer, well taken care of could be more valuable than $10,000 worth of advertising.” (Quoting Jim Rohn, 08:53)

• On the Value of Relationships:
  “The relationship doesn't end when they sign on the dotted line. It's only the beginning.” (Brian Buffini, 09:30)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 00:17 – Importance of trust and overview of episode
• 01:00 – “Silence is deadly”; how broken promises deplete trust
• 02:20 – “Trust is built in drops, but lost in buckets.”
• 04:00 – Systematic approach to follow up, Referral Maker Pro
• 04:30 – Trust is your biggest expense – David Horsager
• 05:10 – Character and competence; likability vs. skill
• 06:45 – Zig Ziglar on trust and business
• 07:45 – Ken Blanchard on raving fans
• 08:30 – Becoming the trusted advisor, reminding for referrals
• 08:53 – Jim Rohn on the value of one well-cared-for customer
• 09:30 – “The relationship doesn’t end when they sign on the dotted line”

Tone & Language

Brian Buffini’s language is practical, encouraging, and focused on actionable insights. He uses metaphors (trust account), real data, and direct advice, inspiring listeners to implement disciplined follow up and focus on the emotional and practical needs of clients. He intersperses supportive quotes from thought leaders, keeping the tone upbeat and authoritative.

Summary Takeaways

• Following up is a non-negotiable foundation for creating trust and thriving in business.
• Communication, reliability, and caring action are what separate trust-draining businesses from trust-gainers.
• Adopting systems for consistent follow up—combined with genuine service and skill—creates customer advocates and long-term referrals.
• Don’t just settle for satisfied customers; aim for raving fans by wowing and serving them, every step of the way.