10 Trust Busters that Can Lose the Sale

B2B sales people take a journey to reach the close. This is with usually more than one customer, more than a few sales calls. If trust is gained on the journey, you are more likely to get the sale. Trust is laboriously gained but easily lost in the B2B sales process.

Christine Crandell, a Forbes business article contributor says, “Today 80% of B2B purchase cycles are completed before the buyer considers contacting the vendor and, even then, they are loath to do so. Sales may feel their role is to sell the product, but research consistently shows that buyers prioritize relationships and trust over product and price.” Wow!

Let’s look at the 10 trustbusters that can derail the B2B sale and what you can do to avoid them.

1. Poor Listening.

If we are doing most of the talking in the sales call, we are not building trust. In the beginning of a sales call we may need to talk and explain our good intention and credibility because to “get information we may have to give it” first.  As the conversation proceeds, we must be careful to ask and listen more. When customers are talking 70% of the time about relevant issues and you 30%, this is a good indicator of rising trust and moving the sale forward.

2. Not Deliver on Your Promises.

The number one reason customers do not trust sales people is that they fail to deliver on what they promise. If you promise the proposal on Thursday, make sure you get it to the customer on Thursday. Better yet, under promise and over deliver on the commitments you make with your customer.

3. Poor Preparation.

Customers can tell when you are not prepared. Just like you can tell when a public speaker is not prepared, so can a customer in a sales call. Being prepared shows you care. Customers like being cared for.

4. Push Your Features.

You know your solutions usually better than the customer. Sometimes we introduce our product features and forget to connect to the customer needs or business issues with relevant features. If the customer can still ask “So what?” to your solution, you have not moved the sale forward and may be seen as pushy and product focused.

5. Stick to Your Communication Style.

It is amazing how many sales people believe their style of communicating is the best way to influence the customer to buy. Your communication style may actually put the customer off. Read before your Lead. Determine the customer style of communication and adapt accordingly. The first cues to look for are “extrovert-introvert,” and, “task or feelings.”

6. Ignore the Influencers.

Sales people sometimes show disrespect to the influencers of the sale. They focus totally on convincing the key decision maker and ignore or belittle the influencers. Take note! Influencers may not be able to say, “yes, buy” but they can always say “no, don’t buy.” Treat influencers with the same respect as decision makers.

7. Pull Rank.

If sales people get stuck in the B2B sales process too low down the decision ladder, they may try to get upstairs and by pass the lower level influencers without their permission. Best to start as high up the ladder as you can, and identify and meet the key decision maker early in the sales process. Pulling rank rarely works.

8. Ignore the “Need Behind the Need.”

Many inexperienced salespeople focus on satisfying the stated need. Better to ask the follow on questions about issues and needs to discover the “need behind the need” or why is the need important. These revolve around productivity, finance, image, safety, security and order.

9. Lean on the Website.

A sales killer is when the customer asks for information and the sales person constantly leans on “Refer to our website.” This reduces trust as the customers see you as a poorly prepared and an illiterate problem solver.

10. Use Jargon.

Salespeople love their own product and solution jargon. Using it without explanation or translation leaves the customer thinking you are speaking a foreign language! Use the customer’s language, you are in his territory!

Eliminate these ten “Trustbusters” and increase your sales success! Have a great week being a “Trust Builder” with your customers!