The Trust Factor in Selling

What is your trust factor with buyers? Studies show the level of trust in the salesperson is the number one buyer decision factor in many sales. If a neutral party were to ask your buyers how much they trust you as a seller, what do you think they would say? Unfortunately, studies show that your trust factor with buyers is probably much lower that you think.

Your trust factor is the degree to which buyers perceive you to be trustworthy. Notice that we use perception rather than reality. You could be the most honest, trustworthy person in your industry and still be perceived by buyers as dishonest and unethical.

The words “trust” and “selling” seldom coincide, even though trust in the seller is a major determining factor in many buying decisions. On average, most buyers distrust most sellers. This unfortunate situation is actually a major opportunity for a select group of sellers committed to honest dealings that build trust.

Inherent distrust of sellers can interfere with your ability to connect with buyers and truly understand how your products and services could fulfill their needs. Sellers who make honesty and integrity high-priority values, need a way to rise above the negative stereotypes that “traditional” sellers have created.

You need to differentiate yourself from competitors by creating greater levels of trust where it matters most – in the minds of potential buyers.

Trust is a Major Factor.

For many sellers, even honest ones, building trust may not be a conscious, stated goal. We believe that it should be. Many sellers believe that their buyers already see them as trustworthy. Unfortunately, research shows that trust levels are usually much lower than sellers think.

How You Sell Determines Whether You are Trusted.

Seller: “I’m not like other salespeople.”
Buyer: “Yeah, that’s what all the sales reps tell me.”

The “traditional” ways of selling – with manipulation and deception – destroy trust and diminish the reputation of sellers in general.

Like it or not, many buyers have already pigeon-holed you with all the other sellers they’ve dealt with in their personal and professional lives. Most likely, they will approach you with distrust, constantly looking for evidence to reinforce what they already believe to be true about you as a salesperson.

However, you can transform this prejudice into a competitive advantage that makes you stand out from the crowd of "traditional" sellers.

Make the Commitment.

Consistent, conscious, committed action on your part will allow you to escape these perceptions and build trust with your buyers. The TrustBuild Program’s shared knowledge base and powerful selling tools will help you to gain insights and develop a personal selling style that proactively turns your trustworthiness into a competitive edge.

Ask yourself: Are you willing to be accountable to your prospects and customers? Are you willing to sell without using dishonesty, deception or exaggeration? Are you willing to take action that changes the negative perceptions potential buyers have of most sellers?