6 Ways to Win Prospects’ Trust—Fast

By: williamjones
January 4, 2016

By: Dan Tyre

What’s the most important component of a client relationship? Is it regular communication? Sharing the same values? Having a strong personal connection?

These are all key parts of a healthy professional relationship, but they pale in comparison to the basis of all relationships: trust. Here’s how to build it with your prospects.

1) Do your homework. You’ve researched your prospect’s company—now research your point of contact to understand who they are. You should know the following:

What’s the best way to provide them information?
Do they want to manage the purchasing process or take your direction?
What’s their personality type?
What metrics and goals are they responsible for?
How do they personally benefit from working with you?

2) Start with a strong introduction. Be humble, but establish your capabilities—your prospect has no reason to trust you otherwise. Show your credentials. Explain your background and your relevant accomplishments.

3) Put them at ease. Find out what makes your prospect tick. Do you have any common connections? Shared interests? Try to find something to make sure your prospect sees you as a human being. It’s a lot easier to trust somebody you like.

4) Understand their goals. Ask open-ended questions about your prospect’s problem to start the conversation. Then, listen to what they say and focus your conversation on interesting points. Don’t worry that you’re getting too granular—not only does a high level of detail empower you to better solve your prospect’s problem, asking questions also demonstrates you aren’t just trying to check items off a list.

5) Get on your their level. I have a tendency to talk loud and fast. When I’m speaking to people I know might interpret my enthusiasm as aggression or simply get overwhelmed, I adapt. Try to mimic your prospect’s mannerisms and voice tone. Don’t take it too far, but research shows that people respond positively to being mirrored.

6) Don’t be too salesy. People don’t want to be sold to—they want to choose to buy. Focus on helping. If your prospect is a good fit, the close will come naturally as you explain how you can get them where they need to go.

Dan Tyre is sales director at HubSpot. This article originally appeared on the HubSpot Sales Blog.

Why It Matters

Trust is the foundation of every good business relationship. If your prospects don’t trust you, they won’t tell you where and how they need help. If they don’t tell you their problems, you can’t discuss possible solutions. If they think you don’t know what you’re talking about, they’ll move on to someone who does.

Establishing trust not only is necessary for closing deals with prospects, but also pays long-term dividends. Customers return to salespeople and vendors that have served them well in the past—and pass on referrals to their friends and colleagues. —D.T.