One of the larger misconceptions among business owners, entrepreneurs, and even customers is that business decisions are primarily made on a logical basis. So, the effort in the selling environment is to share data, facts, questions and answers, etc. back and forth to create a matrix of quantitative assessment criteria. And if it is success and a sale we seek; we are more likely to squelch an impending sale than not. In fact, when it comes to buyers choosing to purchase, it is the aspect of “trust” that will more often be at the core of that decision.
- Destroy trust and lose the sale.
Trust
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Caring
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Communication
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Competence
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Character
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Clarity
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Commitment
Caring
If the seller is unable to convey a sense of caring for the buyer, the buyer’s situation and needs, their goals and objectives; then the likelihood of a sale happening is reduced. If the seller simply asks a series of questions designed to meet HIS or HER own needs (to get the sale), without showing a level of empathy, care, concern, or interest in the buyer – the absence of the “bedside manner” will hinder the progress of the sale.
Communication
If the seller is a poor communicator (interrupts the buyer, ignores the buyer’s “signals,” does not explain product or service well, does not respond to questions, etc.), the buyer may become confused or may fear that the seller is not telling the truth. The ability to communicate WITH the prospect versus TO the prospect will separate the poor sellers from those that are likely to close a sale.
Competence
The area where most sellers spend the majority of their time and are likely to be at their best is in talking about their product or service. Answering questions or providing insights on competitive strengths, how something “works” or differences between product models, etc. is often the strongest skill possessed by the salesperson. A buyer will seek to confirm that the seller has competence and is an authority or expert on a product, but where the seller can further enhance that perception is by speaking knowledgeably about the way the product will “fit” with the customer’s environment (business or home) by including references to uses, connectivity, other considerations, etc.
Character
A seller is always being judged on their character and how they portray themselves. The buyer wants to assess if the seller is; kind, cut-throat, speaks poorly about others, and if there is a misalignment between them (perception of seller’s morals and values and the buyer’s). What passes for a joke, banter between employees, comments made to or about other customers, etc. are all indicators of the seller’s character and being interpreted by the buyer. The more closely they mirror the buyer’s own views, the more likely they are to do business together.
Clarity
A buyer wants to be sure they know what they are buying, how it will work, what the process includes for acquisition, servicing, contracting, etc. If the seller is not clear on these essentials, the buyer will become loathe to do business with that seller. The best product or service in the world will remain unpurchased if the buyer is not certain about the components of the transaction, use of the product or service, or other aspects of the purchase.
Commitment
The last thing to mention in building trust between seller and buyer is the level of commitment the seller demonstrates. If the buyer senses that the seller sees the transaction as simply a sale to get closer to a quota, or treats the customer as an inconvenience to be tolerated and dispatched as quickly as possible; the buyer will be loathe to enter into a purchase agreement with that seller. Inability to demonstrate a commitment to the buyer’s reality and sincerely offer to assist the buyer resolve an issue will hinder the likelihood of a sale occurring.
While many salespeople are quite adept at talking about the features and competitive strengths of their products or services; it is the best among them that also are able to do so in a way that engenders trust and focuses on a relationship with the customer. Traveling the six “C’s” of Trust can be choppy at times, but do it enough times and you will be cruising to success more times than not.
