BUILDING TRUST

To get my business I have to believe in you, to trust you!

The key point is that trust must be earned and deserved. You must do something to give other people the evidence on which they can base their decision on whether to trust you. I believe that you must first be willing to give in order to get. Most important, trust does not happen without work; at its core, trust is about relationships.

A relationship starts when a prospect believes that perhaps, somehow, you, standing before him, might be able to help in finding a solution to a specific problem. Too often we practice our lines, we check our appearance, and we review the presentation again and again. The problem at this point is that all our activities are focused on us, not the person we are presenting to.

A characteristic of a trusted person is an ability to listen; that means not only being perceived as listening effectively, but actually listening effectively. If your opening is all about the things you have done, the recognition you have gained and then proceed to tell someone what they need, you have lost the opportunity to develop a trust relationship. Always listen for what is different, not what is the same; that difference is another opportunity to build a relationship.

The very familiar saying, “Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care” is the basis of being trusted.

While listening is a very important aspect, so is the art of having a meaningful conversation. In today’s high tech environment, I believe that people still want a personal involvement, an emotional factor. That requires asking questions that solicit answers about the needs that your prospect has. Don’t ever assume that your products or services are needed; let the conversation lead to that conclusion.

Last but not least, never be in a hurry; your prospects should be made to feel, at this moment in time, they are the most important thing in your life. Trust is not built over night, but the benefits of a trust relationship means a possible lifelong customer.

“If people like you, they’ll listen to you. But if they trust you, they’ll do business with you.”  Zig Ziglar