Trip Allen\'s keynote for MIS (Marketing Institute of Singapore) July 2, 2010. In today’s competitive markets, it is believed that the key differentiator to sales success is your people and the direct, long-term relationships they build with clients. The way to succeed in relationships with clients is through trust; being trusted by developing trustworthiness. All in all, trust transforms relationships and relationships drive business.

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2. • Buyers (decision makers, not purchasing ) of complex
services and products today are wiser and smarter than ever
before.
• Gone are the days of product pushing, old sales techniques
and not connecting at a high level with the buyers.
• What do buyers really want?
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3. Buyers are wiser
• More technically and product astute, thanks to the internet and
other means of communication/collaboration
• Many buyers recognise the motives of sellers. Smarter and more
experienced.
• Sellers are typically seen as
• Short term focused- desperate for numbers
• Utilizing “slash and burn” techniques- ABC
• Product focused (and not client focused)
• Overly automated and under personalized- sales process
• Sellers don't really understand buyers – and don’t take the
time to understand them
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4. How does the buyer buy
• Screening (rational and linear)
• Most salespeople focus here- features and price
oriented
• Selection (non-rational and personal) The buyer focuses on
the actual seller for expertise and a trusted relationship
• Trust-building is often neglected in most sales processes-
focusing on rational side more
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5. There are 4 concerns/motivators…
•Buyers want the first or second and occasionally the third.
•They want to keep it rational- to be tough.
• Most sales programmes/processes focus on levels two and three-
focusing on identifying the buyers’ needs through consultative selling.
• What do buyers REALLY want?
• Levels one through three are rational and impersonal. The fourth
level, a person we can trust , is far more powerful.
Trusted relationships are what buyers really want,
but how will you build trusted relationships?
First lets understand the basics.
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6. What is Trust?
o Put in context- I am a salesperson and you are the client and I want to
build a trusted relationship with you
o To trust verb
o Trust noun
o Trustworthiness noun
o We will be focusing on trustworthiness
o To trust someone is to take a risk. There is no trusting without risking,
in fact. Yet to be trustworthy is the opposite of risky.
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7. •How to build trust through trustworthiness? An analytical approach to
measuring trustworthiness and the characteristics you want to exhibit.
• C= Words. I trust what she says about… Can be both rational and
emotional. People stress the rational side (expertise) but need to
stress the emotional side more. HIGH
• R= Actions. I can trust her to… Stress dependability and consistency.
More interaction. HIGH
• I= Emotions. I feel comfortable.. Create a safe haven. Empathy. Most
effective and a differentiator. Not often used in business. HIGH
• S= Motives. Caring. I can trust that he cares… focus on the other.
LOW
Stress:
I and S.
I-Put yourself into their shoes. How do you think they feel?
S-Stop focusing on pushing your product and numbers and think about
them, not you. What is their agenda?
Exercise: List 3 things that you do or have done in the past as a
salesperson that, if you were in the position of the buyer, that you
would not like done to you. Write it down.
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8. When you build trust through trustworthiness), by being more personable and
client focused, and you build a strong, long term relationship, which allows for:
You to differentiate -as very few people reach the TA level
Less stress in your interactions and therefore more productivity
Faster results – Covey the Speed of Trust
Less “second guessing”- no tricks!
Less competitive bids- you will know what is going on!
More referrals- and more business!
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9. So think back to your first client meeting.
What are you doing differently today ?
What do you need to do moving ahead?
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