You’ve heard the saying, ‘People buy from people.’ And yes, this is true. So, what if all the salespeople have a solution that is going to help fix or solve the problem? Who will get the sale? Most likely, the sale will go to the person/business who has spent time building trust with their buyer.
Trust is an important factor in business and life, and it always will be. It is a critical component of sales success and is something that the top leaders recognize and work on. The sad part is that, in Edelman’s annual Trust Barometer, it was found that ‘trust in business is below 50 percent in half of the markets examined.’ Further to that, research firm Mintel found that ‘just 36 percent of shoppers say they trust large companies to do what’s right.’
Trust is earned, not given. Period. So, in business, how do we gain and build the trust of our consumers?
These three factors contribute to building trust – capability, dependability, and authenticity:
Capability
Demonstrating your capabilities as an expert in your field is necessary. Being an advisor for your clients and really knowing your stuff goes a long way in proving you are more than capable of helping solve their problems and supporting them through the buying process. This doesn’t stop just at product knowledge. It incorporates knowledge of your industry, your prospects’ needs, the marketplace, and your competitors. In addition, clearly demonstrating how you will provide a return on their investment and deliver a positive impact will be a great start in gaining trust.
Dependability
Dependable means being trustworthy and reliable. If someone is dependable, you can have confidence that they will always act consistently and sensibly, in turn nurturing trust. If, as a business or a salesperson, you do not do what you say you are going to do, you will lose any trust you have built with your prospect. Not being dependable, will almost guarantee you will not get the sale.
Authenticity
In a study done by Boston Consulting Group ‘customers identified authenticity as one of the top qualities that would attract them to a brand.’ According to Bonfire Marketing Agency, ‘ninety-one percent of customers want brands they follow to be authentic in their social media posts.’ Being authentic means being genuine and transparent. This means understanding your strengths and the value you have delivered to existing clients. Testimonials can go a long way in building trust because your value is being demonstrated by a third party. Without authenticity from your company and your salespeople, you will not earn trust.
Taking the time to deliver and nurture all of the above will make the sales process much easier. And food for thought, understanding, and playing the long-term game is the best approach. Sometimes, you may deliver on all of the above factors extremely well and still lose the sale. But there is an opportunity for you to maintain trust by being positive and always being available as a resource. Your prospect just might be back a year or two down the road and they will remember you and because of the relationship you have developed with them, they will reach out to you. So, play the long-term game, earn their trust, build those relationships, and close more business.
by Jody Euloth