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• Buyers (decision makers, not purchasing ) of complex

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• 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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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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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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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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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.

•How to build trust through trustworthiness? An analytical approach to •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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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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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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