How do you earn trust with your prospects and customers? It's essential to earn some trust before any transaction can be done. Do you rely on your past accomplishments and references? What about demonstrating that you can be trust worthy? How would you go about that?
Lately these questions have been running through my mind. I've sat with brand new prospects that didn't know me from Adam and guys that I had met through associates/associations over the last few weeks and was taking a mental inventory of what I was going to do for each of them to earn some trust.
The largest prospective customer couldn't have cared less what I or my company were bringing to the table. They had everything figured out and didn't need any of our services. Normally I don't take much offense to this but my employer has some of the most accomplished security practitioners on the planet, bar none. So I couldn't immediately earn anything with him but, I fed him a ton of information regarding our 3 or 4 most famous guys and what they're currently working on. Fish on!!!! Something caught his attention. I still haven't earned any personal trust but I've at least earned the right to talk to him some more because of my company's smart guys. Baby step.
Next guy was an IT Director for a very small shop. They don't spend a bunch of money on security but are about ready to. They're going to have to get their act together quickly because of industry regs that their largest customers are pressing down to them as part of vendor management. This one was easy. We just sat and had a long, long, long talk about what was going to be expected of them. I read the letter their customer had sent and then we went to the web for more info and resources. Instant credibility. Once this Director figured out that I was friend not foe and that I knew at least as much, if not more, than he did, we were set. I think we'll have a nice relationship.
What are you doing to earn trust? It's not the old days of seeing a pic of some kid playing baseball and striking up a conversation about baseball. I've always thought that was more IFF (Identify: friend or foe) than earning any trust.
I've recently re-discovered a small technique for gaining trust that I'll share. EARNING IT!!!! Execute on one thing. If it's a project, an assignment, an RFI...Whatever. Execute that one thing perfectly. Nothing will earn you trust faster. Now finding this opportunity can be tough. You'll have to ask lots of questions and listen but something will present itself. Know your product, prepare some questions and if I may briefly channel Jim Rome, "have a take, don't suck".
Sorry, I wish this one were a more profound blog but, it's not. Let's recap real quick.
- Have a take, don't suck (learn something worth sharing)
- Be an ambassador or conduit of information
- Execute that first thing perfectly
- Stay persistent
That's all for tonight...Let me know what you're running into out there.
Happy hunting.
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