Best Practices In Sales: The Importance of Trust

The Importance of Trust in the Sales Process

 

 

I’m pathetic when it comes to cars. I just want them to work. I don’t care how or why. So when my car needs some service, I am at the mercy of the mechanic. I have no choice but to believe what they tell me, so my due diligence comes BEFORE I take my car in for repairs. I’ll ask friends and colleagues whom they recommend and I depend strongly on that recommendation. Here’s what I want – someone I can trust. I care about that as much as any other factor that I might deem important.

 

My guess is that your customers are no different. They are looking for a product, a person, and a company that they can trust.

 

“When people are uncertain, they don’t look inside of themselves. They look outside, to the counsel of legitimate experts.”

Dr. Robert Cialdini

 

Dr. Robert Cialdini is often referred to as the highest authority on persuasion and influence. (If you haven’t read his book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion it’s worth a read.)

 

In order to gain someone’s trust, you must be both credible and knowledgeable.  This often involves presenting your information in an unbiased way.

 

But how do you create interactions that will lead to trust? Wouldn’t it be great if you had instant credibility?

 

Good news! There are ways to establish instant credibility...

 

·      A referral from a trusted source.  When a trusted entity tells your prospect that you are worth talking to, you have instant credibility.

 

·      Point out what you can’t do. That’s right. Let your prospect know FIRST what you can’t do.

 

“Before the most compelling portion of your argument, mention the weakness and drawbacks of your product or service.”

Dr. Robert Cialdini

 

Letting a prospect know the pros and cons of your service establishes you as both unbiased, and trustworthy. But don’t wait until the END of your presentation to point out the negative – put it out at the beginning. Consider these two highly successful tag lines:

 

·      Avis: We’re #2, so we try harder

·      Loreal: We’re expensive, but you’re worth it.

 

Establishing trust doesn’t always happen overnight. But having a strong referral network, and admitting your weaknesses upfront are two ways to quickly establish credibility. Don’t take my word – read it from the expert: www.influenceatwork.com.