A lot has changed in the dynamics of doing business, but one of the things that has remained constant is the need to build lasting customer relationships. If anything, building trust with customers has proved harder for sales people because of the numerous options prospects can choose from. Gone are the days when prospects had few or limited brands to choose from. These days, it is possible to lose a prospect in the last minutes of closing a deal. Trust is one of the most important and valued aspects in any business engagement, and most buyers or prospects will camp where their best interests are valued. Client loyalty is not easily attained, but once it is won, it is worth maintaining. One of the ways to manage prospects is to strategize how to win their trust and convert them to loyal clients.
Most prospects can tell when a sales rep is destined to deliver exactly what they pitch. Prospects who have been disappointed before are hard to win over and they have every right to be skeptical. When a prospect is less convinced that the solution they are being offered will not solve their problem, nothing will prevent them from backing off. Sales reps should, therefore, prove their capability by understanding customer needs and offering right answers to prospect questions. More importantly, sales reps should display knowledge about their competitors just in case a prospect brings up the topic. Being a source of knowledge in all matters related to what is being pitched is all a prospect needs from a sales rep. It's proof that they are capable of delivering exactly what they are pitching.
2. Use FOMO To Gain Advantage
Every potential or undecided buyer is always taken back by the fear of missing out (FOMO). Sales persons who know how to use FOMO to their advantage end up winning over a lot of prospects. The moment prospects are informed about what they could end up missing out on once they let go of a deal, there is a chance they may never let it go. It is hard for a prospect to turn back on a deal that promises flexible payment terms, or special offers available on a limited period. It becomes even harder for them to turn their backs on offers that aren't availed by competitors. On an important note, sales reps should not take advantage of FOMO to sugarcoat deals that are nonexistent. Everything should be handled with utmost integrity.
3. Reliability/Dependability
How fast and timely concerns raised by prospects are handled determines if they are going to trust the brand to deliver or not. Sales reps should engage with prospects on a personal level by being there for them when needed. They should honor commitments and avoid distractions that may prevent them from showing up when required. There is also the need for consistency in everything when handling prospects because a little distraction is all it takes to lose impatient potential customers. Sales reps should also understand that they need to lend an ear to prospects. Prospects are more likely to trust a brand that pays attention to what they have to say. Some prospects will even bring up a past experience they had with a different vendor that didn't go well, and it's up to the sales rep to assure them that their brand will not disappoint them.
It goes without saying that trust doesn't come easy, but it goes easy. Also, once trust is lost, it is harder to regain it. Sales people should not promise what they cannot deliver because it counts as a way of losing customer trust. Where integrity and honesty reigns, trust is easy to build. Sales reps cannot afford to lose customer's or prospect's trust especially during these times when there is a lot of competition between brands. A disappointed customer can easily find a replacement. Also, not all disappointed or betrayed customers walk away quietly. Some proceed to tarnish the brand's name by giving negative reviews and comments on the brand's social media platforms. The bottom line here is that the same effort used to win a customer's trust should also apply in maintaining the same trust. It's a win-win for all parties involved.
