Establishing Credibility

Establishing Credibility

Louis De Rose, CMC, is a nationally recognized consultant and seminar leader, specializing in industrial marketing and sales.   He is also the author of Value Selling (AMACOM).   For more information contact De Rose & Associates Inc. 2428 La Costa Avenue, Carlsbad, CA 92009 or call 760-753-0283.

 Credibility is largely a function of the salesperson’s performance.  It’s the salesperson who sells the promise of value to begin with and who commits his company to supplying it.  Hence, it’s understandable that the customer looks to the salesperson when value is not supplied or is in jeopardy.  Here are five steps to establishing credibility from the customer’s view.

1. Know your product or service.
Knowledge – or the lack of it – is a critical factor in the customer’s appraisal of performance.

2. Know the customer’s business.
The more salespeople know and understand about their customer’s business, the more credible they become as a seller of value.

3. Give attention to detail.
When the salespeople cost customers additional time and money, their credibility as value-sellers suffers.

4. Provide meaningful information.
When salespeople provide meaningful information, the customers will look to them for recommendations and advice.

5. Follow through after the sale.
Servicing accounts means taking personal responsibility to assure that values sold are in fact supplied.

Reprinted from The Selling Advantage, issue date 3/27/09, by Progressive Business Publications, 370 Technology Drive, Malvern PA 19355. Page 2.