Trust Agents audiobook cover - Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust

Trust Agents

Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust

Chris Brogan and Julien Smith

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Categories:
Marketing & Sales

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Key Takeaways from Trust Agents

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from Trust Agents

Mind Map

Trust Agents
The Trust Agent Mindset+
Gamifying Life and Work+
Building Influence Without Selling+
Leveraging Technology+
Becoming Agent Zero+
Online Etiquette & Community+
Actionable Steps+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8
Why are traditional aggressive selling and advertising considered less effective in the internet age?
  • A. Consumers have shorter attention spans due to the fast pace of social media platforms.
  • B. The internet allows people to do their own research, making them less reliant on ads and salespeople.
  • C. Most advertising budgets have been entirely reallocated to hiring online influencers.
  • D. Trust agents have actively campaigned to boycott companies that use traditional billboards and TV ads.
Question 2 of 8
According to the book, what is the ultimate reward or 'biggest payoff' when you view life as a game?
  • A. Hacking the rules so that you can work fewer hours while maintaining your salary.
  • B. Scoring more points than your competitors to establish market dominance.
  • C. Making your own game with your own rules by bravely trying something entirely new.
  • D. Reaching a specific numerical goal, such as acquiring 10,000 followers within a year.
Question 3 of 8
Why might a trust agent intentionally criticize their own product, as Robert Scoble did with Internet Explorer?
  • A. To trick competitors into underestimating the product's market share.
  • B. To demonstrate honesty, which builds long-term trust and personal credibility.
  • C. To create viral outrage that drives more web traffic to their personal blog.
  • D. To convince their employer to invest more money in product development.
Question 4 of 8
How do trust agents primarily view and utilize new technologies?
  • A. As automated systems designed to replace the need for human interaction in sales.
  • B. As leverage that multiplies the impact, efficiency, and reach of their actions.
  • C. As temporary trends that should be ignored in favor of traditional offline networking.
  • D. As digital gatekeepers that must be bypassed in order to freely publish information.
Question 5 of 8
What does it mean to become an 'agent zero'?
  • A. To operate completely anonymously on the internet to avoid negative feedback.
  • B. To be the highly visible person at the center of a network who knows everyone and spreads ideas.
  • C. To start a new online channel from scratch with zero followers and grow it organically.
  • D. To eliminate all traditional advertising costs from a company's marketing budget.
Question 6 of 8
What is the book's primary rule for online etiquette?
  • A. Adopt a highly formal, corporate tone to maintain your professional authority.
  • B. Use pseudonyms to freely express controversial opinions without facing personal backlash.
  • C. Behave exactly as you would in real life, treating people as you would like to be treated.
  • D. Focus entirely on promoting your own content rather than participating in other people's conversations.
Question 7 of 8
What lesson did General Motors (GM) learn about engaging online groups and communities?
  • A. Groups will only promote a product if they are paid a traditional marketing fee.
  • B. You must offer real value to the community, rather than just asking them for free promotion.
  • C. Car enthusiasts prefer traditional television advertisements over interactive online platforms.
  • D. It is impossible to effectively manage an online group larger than a few thousand people.
Question 8 of 8
According to the actionable advice in the summary, what is a crucial first step when building your personal online brand?
  • A. Create a unique, highly stylized logo to represent your business across all platforms.
  • B. Keep your personal and professional social media accounts completely separate by using different names.
  • C. Use the same name across all accounts and use a single picture of yourself instead of a logo.
  • D. Wait until you have a finished product ready to sell before establishing any online channels.

Trust Agents — Full Chapter Overview

Trust Agents Summary & Overview

Trust Agents describes how anyone can use the web to become a trust agent – meaning someone who is well-versed in the tools of the web and who is very influential and trusted because of this.

Who Should Listen to Trust Agents?

  • Anyone who wants to understand what successful marketing looks like in the internet age
  • Anyone who wants to greatly expand their influence

About the Author: Chris Brogan and Julien Smith

Chris Brogan is a well-known American blogger, journalist and marketing consultant. Julien Smith is a consultant, speaker and CEO of the start-up Breather, a company that rents out rooms for work and relaxation.

 

© Chris Brogan: Trust Agents copyright 2010, John Wiley & Sons Inc. Used by permission of John Wiley & Sons Inc. and shall not be made available to any unauthorized third parties.

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