I mentioned that I might have more to say on the topic of “Credibility” in the coming weeks. I do, and here it is.
About a week ago, I was quoted in an article on Fast Company’s Blog site regarding credibility. The article was good, but there were some things that I said that I wish would have made the cut. However, since I do have the power of the keyboard, I’ll rectify those omissions here. The basic thrust of the article was, “How important is credibility in sales?” Here’s my basic reply, as quoted in the article:
“Credibility is the cornerstone of a successful selling career. As salespeople, we place ourselves in the product distribution process between the manufacturer and end user. The only reason for us to be there is that we can add value to the process. This means discovering customers’ needs and matching our products to those needs better than customers could if they were just leafing through a catalog or going to an Internet site.” Let’s take a deeper dive into this topic:
Credibility is the characteristic that causes people to believe what you say – because it’s you who is saying it. “Credibility” has less to do with the words being said, then, than the person who is saying them. Without that credibility, there is no way for salespeople to add the necessary value to become a part of the sales process. Then we are simply middlemen, and in some cases an obstacle to success rather than a help toward success.
Credibility has two basic components: Expertise and Trust. When the customer sees you as credible, they do so because they believe, first, that you know what you’re talking about (you know their needs and the product’s characteristics well enough to make a proper match), and that you are a trustworthy person (you’re not going to lie, fib, exaggerate, embellish, or any other word that means “deceive”). Without this credibility, there’s really no reason for you to be involved in the customer’s buying process at all. So how do we build these two characteristics?
Both characteristics have to be both built and demonstrated. Here are some ways of accomplishing this:
Building Expertise:
- Become a student of your product(s); keep abreast of new developments and applications.
- Know what your own company does well and not so well.
- Become a student of the process of selling; especially know how to ask good questions.
- Become a student of your customers; work to know their objectives, goals, and needs nearly as well as they do themselves.
Demonstrating Expertise:
- Solve problems for your customers live and on-the-spot.
- Write articles for trade publications.
- Blog or send out e-newsletters with helpful tips and techniques to maximize your product.
- Become a “go-to” person for your customers; be interested in solving problems beyond what you sell.
- Make the most out of your face time with your customers.
Building Trust:
- Commit yourself to never telling your customers anything that isn’t true.
- When a problem occurs, accept full responsibility (even if it’s not your fault) and fix it ASAP.
- If you don’t know the answer, take the time to find it rather than guessing or winging it.
Demonstrating Trustworthiness:
- Tell the truth – even when it hurts.
- Don’t sell anything your customer doesn’t need, or that is an inappropriate application.
- Commit yourself to being a problem solver.
I should tell you that true credibility in the eyes of your customers is not something that comes quickly or easily. But it is worthwhile, and probably the best investment of your time you can make.
