People are more skeptical than ever. They've been burned by overpromising and underdelivering. And now, building trust isn't optional. It's everything.
In this episode, I introduce what I call the Trust Economy and share the three things you need in 2026: proof, consistency, and integrity. I also share my own story of being scammed and what it taught me about why people hesitate to buy and how you can stand out as a trustworthy business in a market full of noise.
HERE ARE THE 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE:
1️⃣ Proof Is Non-Negotiable — People don't believe claims anymore. You need real testimonials, case studies, and tangible evidence everywhere: your website, emails, social media, and podcast.
2️⃣ Consistency Builds Trust — Showing up only when you're launching feels manipulative. A sustainable visibility strategy keeps you top of mind and positions you as someone who's here for the long game.
3️⃣ Integrity Is a Competitive Advantage — Following laws, being transparent, and doing what you say you'll do makes people trust you more — and buy more confidently.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Intro
00:40 People aren't buying like they used to
01:39 Welcome to the Trust Economy
02:02 What happened: the explosion of online courses
03:41 The hype culture and broken promises
04:07 Why people became skeptical
05:00 My own story of being scammed
07:07 Good coaching programs do exist
08:12 AI has entered the chat
10:00 The new model: proof, consistency, integrity
11:05 Proof: why testimonials matter more than ever
13:00 Three types of objections testimonials can bust
14:31 Real testimonial example from my client
17:37 The power of social proof
18:02 What to do if you don't have testimonials yet
19:53 Consistency: stop disappearing between launches
21:00 The Dolce Société content ecosystem
22:39 My personal struggle with visibility
24:02 Integrity: walking your talk
25:03 Why I follow EU consumer laws (even when I don't have to)
27:01 Visibility Growth Architecture
28:03 Why I recommend podcasting
29:31 The podcast opportunity most entrepreneurs ignore
30:28 Why 95% of podcasters quit before episode 10
32:00 Showing up live in the Trust Economy
33:41 Four practical takeaways
36:34 Outro
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
∙ Strategy Power Session
∙ All products and services
∙ Dolce Société™
∙ Website: heidiniemi.co
LET'S GET SOCIAL:
Instagram @iamheidiniemi
Monnett @heidiniemi
YouTube @HeidiNiemi
TikTok @iamheidiniemi
Facebook @iamheidiniemi
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Thanks for tuning in to The Dolce Marketing Podcast! See you next week!