197. Why Your Content Isn’t Building Trust (And What To Do Instead)

If your content isn’t getting traction—if you’re posting regularly but still feel invisible—this episode is for you.

Please Note: This opens with me showing an 8mm home movie clip sharing a childhood hockey story that perfectly captures the chaos of today’s content marketing landscape: everyone chasing the same puck, saying the same thing, and getting nowhere. 

You've got to watch the video version on youtube to fully appreciate this!!

What can you expect in this episode? You're about to learn:

• Why being helpful isn’t enough to make you memorable
• The 4 ways expert entrepreneurs create standout moments that build real trust
• Why myth-busting could be your most powerful content move
• How to make your audience feel like you're speaking just to them
• How your story can sell—without the sleaze

You’ll hear Mic Drop Moments from past guests like Andrea Merrill, Scott Wozniak, and Rich Brooks—each offering a fresh way to break through the noise without feeding the content machine.

✅ This episode is part 3 in our series on ditching the content machine—so if you missed the first two, be sure to go back and check out:
Ep 1: Why “Posting More” Won’t Make You Visible
Ep 2: Your Expertise Is Enough: Why Being Yourself Builds More Trust Than Trends

🎧 Hit follow and don’t miss next week’s episode:
 “Your Message Isn’t Boring—It’s Just Not Sticky Yet”

Past guests featured in this episode: 

169: Turn every speaking engagement into a $hit-ton of money - with Andrea Merrill

161. Is your brand legendary? - with Scott Wozniak

160. What makes your business remarkable? - with Rich Brooks

Ready to turn your expertise into visibility and demand—without feeding the content machine?

📞 Schedule your FREE “Standout On Video” call here: standoutcall.com

Because when you start showing up with clarity, confidence, and the right content—your ideal clients won't just notice you. They'll choose you.

Thanks for tuning in. If you found this episode helpful, share it with another expert entrepreneur who’s ready to stop blending in.

Episode Transcript

Brad Powell (00:06):
This is me, nine years old, riding to hockey
practice where I grew up inMassachusetts, got my skates on,
I got my hockey stick Totallyfired up to get out there on the
ice.
But this, this is how everypractice looked A total puck

(00:27):
scramble.
Every kid out there is chasingthe puck at the same time.
It's really just a messy blurof skates and hockey sticks and
no real strategy.
No one's passing, no one'sbreaking away and definitely no
one is scoring.
And then there's this guy whobasically has just given up.

(00:47):
He's just had enough.
Oh no, and honestly, that'swhat content marketing feels
like right now.
Everyone's chasing the sametrends, they're saying the same
kind of stuff, they're sharingthe same tips and hooks and
formats a lot of it.
They probably just learned fromsomebody else that they saw.
And the result?

(01:07):
Well, it just feels like thatscene on the ice rink no one's
breaking away and no one isscoring.
So if you're an expertentrepreneur and you're trying
to build your visibility withcontent, but it feels like
you're stuck in that puckscramble and you're not building
traction and you're not gettingthe response that you're hoping

(01:27):
for, well, stick around,because by the end of this
episode, you're going to knowexactly how to break out of the
scramble.
I'm going to share four keyways expert brands create
standout moments that buildtrust, and how expert
entrepreneurs like you can breakaway from the noise and get
seen without feeding the contentmachine.

(01:49):
So let's talk about how tocreate the kind of content that
doesn't just blend in butactually builds your reputation
as someone worth listening to.
Welcome to the Standout BusinessShow.
I'm Brad Powell and I've beenhelping expert entrepreneurs
stand out on video for the past15 years.
This is episode number three inmy series about ditching the

(02:13):
content machine, and today we'retalking about why your content
isn't building trust and what todo instead.
Now, if you missed episodesnumber one and two in this
series, I talked about whyposting more won't make you
visible and why chasing trendsis killing your credibility.
You can find the link to thoseepisodes in the show notes, so

(02:36):
definitely go back and checkthose out.
Now here is a big problem thatwe're confronting today.
Expert entrepreneurs oftendefault to trying to be helpful,
but they end up beingforgettable because their
content sounds like everybodyelse it's generic, it's polite,
it's overly educational, and theresult is that, even if you

(02:59):
have great insights, you'regetting ignored in the sea of
sameness.
So here's the mic drop truth.
Simply being helpful is tablestakes, and if the helpful stuff
you're sharing online can befound with a search on Google,
well then it's just blending inwith all the other content.
What makes someone follow orremember or even buy from you is

(03:23):
what makes them feel or thinkdifferently when it comes to
your content.
If people aren't responding,it's not because your ideas
aren't good.
It's because they don't standout.
If your audience isn't reacting, they won't be referring, they
won't be replying and they won'tbe reaching out to work with
you.
But when you say something thathits, it gets screenshotted, it

(03:45):
gets forwarded, it gets quoted,save for later.
So, with all the focus ongetting attention, remember that
attention getting is veryshort-lived, but resonance is
long.
It lasts a long time.
When you say somethingmemorable, people will bring you
up in the room, even whenyou're not there.

(04:05):
Here's the shift that we allneed to make.
You need to move from beinghelpful to having high impact,
and the best way to do that isto say what others won't.
This is pillar number one ofthe standout moments framework,
so let's talk about whatstanding out and showing up
differently actually looks likein practice.

(04:26):
Because if we're not just goingto post and pray, we need to
start saying and showing whatothers are afraid to touch, and
I'm going to talk about fourways to do this.
First up is my favorite bust, amyth that others in your
industry are afraid to challenge.
There are so many tired tropesin your industry that nobody's

(04:46):
questioning, so you can be theone who does Say the things your
peers are thinking but are toocautious to say out loud.
That's how you break throughthe noise, not with volume, but
with veracity.
For example, let's start withone of the biggest myths in
content marketing today.

(05:08):
The myth is if you want to beseen and get clients, you need
to post more.
You need to post more often onmore platforms with more volume.
Show up daily.
Consistency is everything.
Consistency is everything.
But here is the reality Morecontent does not equal more

(05:29):
clients.
And if you believe that, it'snot your fault Because
everywhere you look, every coach, every course, every algorithm
update they've all been pitchingyou the same prescription Be
everywhere, post every day.
But here's what they don't tellyou Posting daily doesn't

(05:49):
necessarily build trust,especially when what you're
posting doesn't say anything newor bold, or even real.
It doesn't make you more visible.
It actually makes youforgettable, because you end up
saying the same stuff thateveryone else can say.
So what's the new way?
The new way isn't about contentvolume, it's about content

(06:13):
value.
It's not about being viral.
It's about being vital to theright people.
You don't need more content,you need more connection, and
that comes from showing youraudience exactly who you are and
why you're different, and youcan do it in a single mic drop

(06:33):
moment.
When I work with clients, wedon't script 30 posts.
We capture a few key momentsthat spark trust, that shift
perspective and get people tolean in Like oh wow, I've never
heard it said that way before.
That's what real visibilitylooks like.
So if you've been told that youjust need to post a lot more,

(06:57):
maybe it's time to stop feedingthe content machine and start
creating standout momentsinstead.
Okay, now the second way.
Expert brands create standoutmoments that build trust, share
a strong belief or share a pointof view that is contrary.

Andrea Merrill (07:15):
I literally want you to get into the hearts and
minds of your ideal audience.
And who has a better story thanyou?
So when you help them and theybecome the hero in your story
and they can see themselvesreally getting to that end goal
that you have already done andexperienced and you've already

(07:35):
done the grit, the hard workthey are going to be 100% a hell
.
Yeah, I am in.
So I like for you to intertwineyour offer into your story,
where it is naturally selling,and we are selling without the
sleeves.

Brad Powell (07:53):
That was Andrea Merrill, who is a brand
strategist and storytellingcoach, and she's cutting through
the noise here with somethingthat most marketing advice
ignores completely.
She's not talking aboutoptimizing your funnel or
repurposing more content.
She's saying that you alreadyhave what your audience needs,

(08:13):
and your story, your livedexperience, is that bridge that
builds real trust.
Here's the kicker when youshare your perspective with
clarity and your conviction, itactually makes the right people
say hell yeah, I'm in.
And that's not about thealgorithm, it's not about going

(08:34):
viral.
It's about resonance.
It's about owning yourauthority without begging for
attention, because, as AndreasFraming reminds us, people don't
follow experts because they'reflashy.
They follow them because theyfeel seen by your story.
And here's what I thinkStanding out isn't about louder

(08:55):
content.
It's about being super clearand open about what you believe
in.
That's what makes you memorable, that's what makes people trust
you and that's what gives youthe kind of authority that
doesn't expire with the socialmedia platform's next mood swing
.
All right.
So the third way that expertbrands create standout moments

(09:17):
is to take a stand for yourclients by standing against all
the BS that's confusing them.

Scott Wozniak (09:24):
We think the question your customers start
asking now is do you care aboutme, do you see me, do I matter
to you, or is this just anothertransaction for you?
It's like one of those deephuman desires is people want to
be seen and liked.
Once or twice a year, do one ortwo things and you'll blow
their mind.
It's not that complicated.
Once or twice a year you justdo something that says, hey, I

(09:46):
know you, you particular, andthat little personal touch
unlocks this next kind ofrelationship and it feels like
this is a relationship, not justa transaction.
So, yeah, build trust, can wecount on them?
And then now I want to know doyou care about me?
We just little things Say Iremember you in particular and I
like you, and that unlocksanother category of customer

(10:09):
relationship.

Brad Powell (10:10):
That's Scott Wozniak, and he's an author and
a B2B consultant who's workedfor big brands like Chick-fil-A,
and he's talking aboutsomething we rarely hear in
conversations about visibility,which is the cost of treating
your audience like a number.
We've already talked about howalgorithms don't build trust.
Well, transactional tacticsdon't either, but a single

(10:33):
moment of specific recognitionthat changes everything.
When you remember a client'sbirthday, when you reference
something they said in a commentsix months ago, when your
content makes them feel like youwere thinking of them, that's
when trust deepens.
That's when they stop thinkingof you as just another voice

(10:53):
online.
And here's where I take a stand.
If you're just chasing reach,you're missing the real metric
that matters Relationship equity.
So take a stand for yourclients by showing them, in the
way you communicate, that theymatter to you, because that's
how you build a brand that isn'tjust followed, it's felt.

(11:14):
Imagine getting a comment backthat isn't just followed, it's
felt.
Imagine getting a comment backthat doesn't just say I hear
what you're saying, but I feelyou Okay.
So my last point on how tobuild trust with your content
Don't just answer the question.
Reframe it entirely.

Rich Brooks (11:33):
We interviewed a few different painting companies
and one guy told me he'd getthe whole job done in two days.
And the way that he did it.
He showed up with about 20 guysin five white vans.
They poured out of the vanslike they were clowns in the
circus, threw up ladders,painted the whole house.
They were done by sunset withall their equipment removed.

(11:53):
I think they were singing seashanties the whole time, but
maybe I'm just embellishing, I'mnot really sure at this point.
They came back two days later,after the paint had dried, did
the whole thing again and thenthey were gone and, as you can
imagine, 20 guys painting yourhouse with five vans out front.
The neighbors took notice andthey were asking questions about
it.
To your point of you know,having remarkability means

(12:14):
people can tell that story againand again.
So in my mind that was a reallyremarkable thing that was
already going on within thiscompany and if they were my
client I would have said this isreally your unique selling
point.
This is what makes youremarkable.
It already exists and you justneed to give it a name and then
kind of run with it.

Brad Powell (12:38):
That was Rich Brooks, who owns a marketing
agency and puts together a greatevent that's called Agents of
Change.
His story is so good becausewhat made that painting company
stand out wasn't just theirspeed.
It was the spectacle that theycreated.
It wasn't just a marketinggimmick.
It was their way of showing upthat looked and felt different
from every other option in themarket.
And here's the kicker theyweren't doing it for attention.

(12:59):
They were doing it to deliveron their promise.
But the side effect Peopletalked, people shared.
And that's the moment whenvisibility becomes effortless,
when people want to tell yourstory for you.
My takeaway from that is don'tjust try to say the right thing.
Give people the story thatthey're going to tell at dinner.

(13:20):
Find the part of your processthat already stands out, give it
a name and frame your narrativearound that.
Reframing isn't about clevermarketing.
It's about giving your work thestory it deserves.
Here's the mic drop truth.
People don't remember the safeanswer.
They remember the moment yousaid something that cracked open

(13:44):
their thinking.
So, as we wrap this up, here'smy final takeaways.
Number one posting more isn'tthe answer.
Posting with purpose is.
Your audience doesn't need moreof you.
They need more meaning from you.
If your content isn't rooted inwhat you believe and what you
stand for and how you serve,then posting more just

(14:06):
contributes to all the noise.
Your lived experience is yourmost valuable asset and, as
Andrea Merrill reminded us, thestory that sells without the
sleaze is your story.
When your audience seesthemselves in your journey and
how you overcame the sameobstacles that they face.
That's when trust is built.

(14:28):
Number two if you want loyalty,then take a stand.
Scott Wozniak nailed it yourclients don't just want results,
they want to feel seen.
Trust isn't built throughclever content.
It's built when people feelyou're on their side.
When you name the confusion,the chaos, the BS that they're

(14:49):
tired of, they trust you to leadthem somewhere better, to the
promised land.
Takeaway.
Number three as Rich Brooksshowed us, it's often the way
you show up, that thing thatalready makes your business
different.
That becomes your best story.
When you give that moment aname and share it with intention

(15:09):
, that becomes unforgettable.
And finally, number four yourbest content.
It's not content at all, it's amoment.
It's a moment of clarity, ofresidence, of conviction.
That's what people remember,that's what gets shared and
that's exactly what we help youcreate with Mic Drop Moments.

(15:31):
So if today's episode has yourethinking about how you show up
and if you're curious about howyou could be capturing and
sharing your own standoutmoments, then I invite you to
schedule a call with me.
Just go to standoutcallcom andpick a time for us to talk.
And in the next episode we'regonna to talk about how to stop

(15:52):
blending in, even when yourmessage feels too boring to
break through.
Because here's the thing it'snot your message, it's the way
you're telling it, and I'm goingto show you how to use
unexpected angles to make yourexpert insights feel fresh and
impossible to ignore, and I'llshare a few strategies for

(16:13):
helping your audience seethemselves in your story so your
content doesn't just stand out,it sticks.
That's coming up in episodenumber four in this series about
ditching the content machineit's called.
Your Message Isn't Boring, it'sJust Not Sticky Yet.
So hit, follow or subscribe soyou don't miss it.

(16:36):
Trust me, you're going to wantto tune in, and until next time,
so long.