Think about the last time you were sitting down with someone you really trusted, someone you felt comfortable with, that you knew you could talk to openly and they were going to help you. Most likely that person was either your doctor, your pastor, or that wise uncle or grandparent who is always there for you when you're in a tough spot. Most of us have people like this in our lives, they are the ones we go to when we have problems and need someone who will give us a solution. Those people we run to all have 3 key traits in common and they are 3 traits that you, as a salesperson, need to have too if you want to be successful in today's world.
Being the slickest, smartest, or best looking salesperson on the block isn’t enough anymore and having the cheapest version of whatever it is you sell won’t do it either. Today’s consumer has so many options to choose from that it’s basically unfathomable. Plus, in addition to all of the options, they are also bombarded with an unimaginable volume of data and information all available right at their fingertips. And, honestly, most of it is terrible and inaccurate. In some ways it’s great that we can all make informed decisions but sometimes we are informing ourselves with false information. To be successful as a seller you need to cut through all the noise and separate yourself from the crowded space of other sellers knocking down the doors of your prospects. You do this by abandoning your “salesperson” skin and transforming into the trusted advisor that your customers need.
Your customers need an advisor and an honest resource. They need someone they can trust to guide them and help them solve their problems. They don't need help buying things, they need help solving problems. If you can learn these 3 key traits and establish yourself as a trusted advisor to your customers then you will not only see your successes increase but also the rate of referrals and the longevity of your business relationships.
To understand the 3 traits you need to do to become a trusted and valued advisor to your clients just consider this, first you must prove that you CARE, then you must prove that you KNOW YOUR STUFF, and finally you must prove that you can CREATE a solution. The 3 key traits you need to become a trusted advisor are EMPATHY, EXPERTISE, and PROBLEM-SOLVING. These 3 things are the magic ingredients to any successful business relationship. In my next post you will learn exactly what goes into demonstrating each of these 3 traits and how you can build these into your professional brand and ultimately impact your sales success. You will get a step-by-step guide to building trust and value with clients as well as a free download. Stay tuned!
We’re teaming up with HubSpot’s Research group to survey sales consumers and professionals and we have tailored questions just for you on how you approach prospects and the challenges you face today. If you want to make your voice heard, take HubSpot’s survey today! It’ll take just a few minutes to complete and is totally anonymous.