In Sales We Trust

Trust is the key to any relationship including the relationship between a salesperson and their client. Trust-based relationship selling requires that salespeople earn customer trust and that their selling strategy meets customer needs and contributes to the creation, communication, and delivery of customer value. This means it’s crucial to determine what the value is for each clients, as they will all be different. Customer value is determined by the customer’s perception of what they get in exchange for what they have to give up. As with value, trust means different things to different people. With this in mind, there are 5 types of trust builders:

Expertise: This is the ability, knowledge, and resources to meet customer needs. It’s important for salespeople to convince clients they are dedicated to the task of influencing their client’s bottom line objectives in a positive manor; and they are capable of providing assistance, counsel, and advice that will positively affect the ability to reach objectives.

Dependability: This is the predictability of a person’s actions. Salespeople have to remember the promises they make to their client or prospect.  Once a promise is made, clients expect the promise to be honored.

Candor: This deals with the honesty of the spoken word. It’s NEVER good to stretch the truth, but instead use sales aids to actually show the positive affects of the product or service such as: testimonials, third party endorsements, trade publications, and consumer reports. A good salesperson knows “doing anything to get the sale” will eventually damage the relationship between the buyer and seller.

Customer Orientation: The act of a salesperson placing as much emphasis on the customer’s interest as their own. It’s important for a salesperson to work on the client’s long-term needs instead of their own short-term needs.

Compatibility: This is the salesperson’s commonalities with other individuals. Buyers don’t trust everyone they like, but it’s hard for them to trust someone they don’t like.

Good salespeople know they won’t earn a commitment from a buyer if there is no trust. If you work to building trust through the 5 trust builders mentions previously, you and your buyer will have a healthy relationship that will last for years to come.

(Ingram, LaForge, Achwepker, Williams., SELL, Student Edition, pg 25-43)