We all have been there. You pick up the phone and someone is instantly trying to sell you something. Of course, you will probably politely decline and hang up because it’s natural to be sceptical of a sales pitch, whether they’re calling or knocking on your door. Based on a survey conducted by the Think Grow Lead (TGL) Team, customers say it is absolutely critical or very important to interact with a salesperson who is a trusted advisor.

The solution to this problem is not on the consumer’s shoulders; salespeople must work to build a reputation of trust and reciprocity if they wish to be successful. If you are experiencing more hang-ups or rejections than normal, it is time to re-evaluate your sales process.

Trust is important to people in all aspects of life and the decision to make a purchase requires a lot of trust.

How do you earn consumers’ trust?

We have gathered seven techniques to help establish a relationship of trust between the seller and consumer and hopefully close the deal! 

BUILD A RELATIONSHIP

If you focus on building a relationship rather than making a sale, you’ll be surprised at how much faster the sales process can go. Prospects who feel a personal connection are more likely to believe in your product and, therefore, make a purchase.

As an added benefit, this can translate into prospects becoming cheerleaders for you to their decision-makers, accelerating the sales process even further. 

DON’T START THE CALL WITH AN IMMEDIATE PITCH

Easing into the sales pitch is a more effective way to gain trust and close the deal. This can be done by starting with a story, humour, or trying to get to know the prospect. Making the individual feel more comfortable and ready to hear about what you have to offer is the first step in building rapport. 

ASK THEM HOW YOU CAN HELP — DO NOT ASSUME YOU KNOW

One of the reasons people dislike sales pitches is because people dislike being lectured to. Instead of going into detail about all the problems that your product can solve, ask them what their pain points are and what they are looking for in a solution. This helps tailor your solution and offerings to their specific needs, making prospects feel that the process is more personalised. It also prevents you from wasting time on explaining things that the prospect won’t necessarily care about. 

PROVIDE CASE STUDIES OR CUSTOMER REFERENCES THAT WILL RESONATE

Customers are your best advertisers, especially happy ones. While you can pitch your product to a client all day, they are much more likely to believe when a current customer speaks on their personal experience, in their own words. Share stories and testimonials from other customers whenever possible. This helps build credibility and helps ease potential concerns. 

UTILISE YOUR MARKETING MATERIALS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE

Establish your place as an expert on your product. Avenues such as white papers, online or print articles, e-books and case studies help to establish your knowledge of the industry, which ultimately supports your product. Also encourage third-party publications that can speak to your product or service and act as a reference, also establishing credibility. 

DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK TO GET BACK TO THEM

If a prospect is asking about something you don’t know the answer to, it is important to be truthful. Making up answers will only lead to false promises with no follow-through. This can cause the loss of a customer in the future, or the deal falling through when they realise you made information up. Instead, be honest. Let the prospect know that you do not have the best answer for them at that particular point in time but you will get it to them ASAP. This establishes your credibility while ensuring they are being given the correct information. 

DELIVER ON YOUR PROMISES

Saving the most important for last, do not make promises (especially those relating to pricing) that you know you won’t be able to keep. Although this may seem like a good way to make a sale, empty promises will only damage a relationship before it even starts. Being honest about negotiation points that you know you cannot provide will let the prospect know that you are trying to get them a good deal and further build a trusting relationship.

Salespeople should always be looking for ways to better themselves and their processes. One often overlooked way to do so is by striving to establish trust in seller-buyer relationships. Getting those majority of buyers who prioritise trust can greatly impact revenue and help reach sales goals. This not only gives that sale a better chance of closing, it also establishes a long-term relationship that can be mutually beneficial. 

Duane Lue-Fung is an award-winning entrepreneur and is the founder & chairman of sales development company Think Grow Lead. For more insights on sales & customer experience training, sales recruiting and sales outsourcing and sales consultancy please visit TGL’s website. www.tgltrainers.com/ www.tglsalesschool.com or email me your comments at topsalesguruja@gmail.com