Isaac Ludlow Series Part 3: Sales, Trust and Customer Rapport

Hey guys,Are you wanting more quality customers? Here’s a tip to get more prospects to like and trust you – because, at the end of the day, people buy from people they like and trust.To get them to like you – Well let’s be honest, if you haven’t worked out how to get people to like you and you’re in a business selling your services to people, you’re in trouble.

Basically, getting people to like you is about liking yourself first and being confident in who you are, appreciating who they are and building some rapport - having common interests and having a few laughs.Now let’s have a chat about building trust.One of the quickest ways to build trust is by asking questions that find out what’s really important to them. This might sound pretty weird if you’re not used to doing this, but trust me, it works like magic and it will boost your sales. Let me explain.Let’s say, for example, you’re chatting to a growing family and their house is pretty small, so they’re interested in extending it. They’re keen to build, but they’ve heard a few construction horror stories and they are nervous about cost overruns and bad communication.You might be the best builder in the world and have the proof, but if you don’t address these concerns then it’s fairly likely that they will still be hesitant to buy from you. Here are some examples of a few questions that will go a long way towards building customer trust:

• Start by asking: Just so I can help you best, is it ok if I ask you a few questions?
• What’s frustrating you about your current situation?
• What ideas have you had so far?
• How important is it to you that you know the total costs of the job before we start?

• How important is it to you that the team is warm and friendly?
• How important is it to you that the team leaves the site tidy?
• How important is it to you that you’re kept up to date with how things are going throughout the whole project and there is one person that you can call with any questions?
• What else is important to you when you’re choosing which building company to work with?

Those kinds of questions find out the person’s values and expectations and this will go a long way to building trust.Now here’s the icing on the cake…

Once you’ve finished your questions, finish with a statement like this:"Just to clarify that I’ve heard you correctly; it sounds like you’re frustrated with the lack of space in your current home and you want a house that feels spacious and everyone has their own room. You want to know all the costs up front before we start, you want to feel respected and have good communication throughout the project and you want one key person to talk to that will keep you updated and answer any questions you have. Have I heard you correctly?".If they say yes to that question, then you’ll probably see them physically relax and their level of trust for you will go through the roof.When you walk out the door, they will probably say to each other something like: “I feel like that guy really gets us”.Make sure you take action and implement these proven business tips.If you’re stuck for some good questions to ask or want to chat about how to improve this area of your sales process then please flick through a quick email to isaacludlow@actioncoach.comComing up in the next edition, we’ll have a chat about how to recognise the four main types of personalities to help you understand both your behaviour and that of others, as well as some tips on how to sell to and work with each of them.Isaac LudlowBusiness CoachActionCOACH The World’s #1 Business Coaching FirmHamilton, New ZealandMobile: +64 27 548 3302