Trust; firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.
All too often, and I see this almost daily in my coaching practice, B2B sales people dwell on the “commodities” of the selling cycle. How much does my product or service cost? Are we in line with the competition? Or, is our value proposition competitive? While having the right widget for the right need is an imperative, there’s an even more important component to the selling cycle, particularly in large or complex transactions, and that’s trust.
While “trust” sounds simple, truly understanding the vast implications of trust isn’t. In fact, it’s perhaps the least understood arrow to have in a sales person’s quiver, the least recognized, the least prioritized, and often the least valued.
To truly appreciate the importance of trust, one must appreciate the consequences, often dire, to the person who grants trust only to have made a misguided choice. In large organizations, where typically large and complex selling opportunities are found, a vendor will most likely have contact with one or two key contacts. These are the people charged with evaluating and recommending a purchase, and if that purchase is with a vendor new to the company, the stakes rise exponentially.
It’s never just about the trust between a sales person and purchaser, but rather begins with those within an organization who have bestowed their trust to that purchaser, and who the integrity of their career also depends, hence the circle of trust.
There is an enormous amount at stake for these contacts, as their reputations, internal relationships, and value to their employer are closely aligned with their performance, with the decisions and calls they got right, and of course those they got wrong; with those they trust, rightly or wrongly.
The circle of trust starts at the top. The CEO trusts her executive management team, and in turn they trust and rely on those they manage, so on and so forth.
Trust isn’t just granted, but rather evolves over a continuum of time, circumstance, and experience. Trust can’t be rushed or bought; one can’t issue an invoice for trust and once paid, trust then be acquired.
There is a gestation cycle to earning trust, a cycle that cannot be accelerated or expedited beyond its natural evolvement. It’s the result of an organic process that often unfolds subconsciously or subliminally. Building trust is passive; it can’t be the result of overt or intentional manipulation.
People in general, and prospective clients for sure, don’t go from consciously lacking trust in someone to instantly trusting them completely. Earning trust is fragile, because while it can take some time to earn and establish, it can be lost forever within a blink of an eye, with one simple miss-step.
Sales people, particularly in the B2B space, need to slow down and recalibrate their attitude and approach towards allowing potential clients to trust in them before expecting them to trust in the product or service they offer. Products come and go, pricing changes, and the desirability of a product or service can transition the result of myriad reasons or circumstances. But what can never change, what must never be disrupted is a clients trust for the sales professional they choose to deal with. Having a clients trust is vastly more important and vastly more valuable than any product related attribute. Trust is what careers are built on, but violating trust is the surest way to end not just your own career, but someone else’s as well.
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