The Soulful Salesman - Jason Schwartz

Trust: a Primer

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Trust: a Primer

Trust is integral to selling consultatively. Nobody would argue this point. Why then as salespeople are we doing such a poor job developing trust with our customers? (see findings from OMG’s Trust Project)

It’s unfortunate, for a word that is used so often in describing what salespeople should ascribe too, very little time has been devoted to understanding what trust is and how it’s cultivated.  

Trust is less about doing and more about being. You can ask all the questions you want, engage in “active listening” until your ears fall off but if your focus is not on being “in relationship” with your customer you will not be given access to their true and compelling reason to buy. Trust is not something to arrive upon,  but rather it is a  process that unfolds at each interaction.  Trust is difficult to establish and very easy to lose.

What?

 Trust is – the reciprocal exchange of value over time. More specifically,  trust is the belief that the behaviors, interactions and outcomes that have preceded will continue in the same way into the future. 

In order to build trust with your customer you must behave in a trustworthy manner. How do you do that? See below:

1. Follow through – do what you say you’re going to do when you say you’re going to do it. One component of trust is that we impart on others the faith that the desired behaviors that have proceeded will continue on into the future. It is this faith that catalyzes the on going exchange.
2. Expectations - Set reasonable and accurate expectations – Meeting expectations are the tangible benchmarks by which we measure effectiveness. By bending to pressure to set expectations that are unattainable we are assuring the perception of failure.
3. Be an expert - Strive to be to be an expert at what you sell so you can be an advisor. The more you know the better the advice you can give. Knowledge is not a destination but a process that evolves. By striving to be an expert we prepare ourselves to be continual learners  which enables us to remain relevant.

4. Act with integrity – do the right things, for the right reasons, at the right time. This is the filter by which we assess all behaviors.

 Doing these things in isolation will not lead to the development of trust. In order to reap the benefits, these behaviors they must be guided by the intent of creating mutual value.