Professional Salesmanship

Lesson 1: BUILDING TRUST AND SALES ETHICS

In this chapter, we first discuss the meaning of trust in the sales context. Next, we explore the
importance of trust to salespeople. This is followed by a discussion of how to earn trust and what
knowledge bases a salesperson can use to build trust in buyer-seller relation- ships. Finally, we review
the importance of sales ethics in building trust.

Trust - the extent of the buyer confidence that he or she can my un the salesperson's integrity

Openness - completely free from concealment: exposed to general View or knowledge.

Honesty - fairness and straightforwardness of conduct.

Confidentiality - the state of being entrusted with information from a buyer that cannot be shared.

Security - the quality of being free from danger.

Reliability - consistency of a salesperson over time to do what night

Fairness - impartiality and honesty

WHAT IS TRUST?

Trust is earned when an industrial buyer believes and can rely on a salesperson's claims or promises
when the buyer is dependent on the salesperson's honesty and reliability. One of the keys to a long-
term relationship with any client is to create a basis of trust between the sales representative and the
client organization."

Thus, gaining trust is essential in order to be seen as a reliable salesperson. Long-term sales success in
any industry will generally be built on the concept of referral, in which trust plays an important role.

The "trust" described here is beyond the typical transaction-oriented trust schema. Many issues-Will the
product arrive as promised? Will the right product actually be in stock and be shipped on time? Will the
in- voice contain the agreed-on price? Can the salesperson be found if something goes wrong?-are only
preliminary concerns. In relationship selling, trust is based on a larger set of factors due to the expanded
intimacy and long-term nature of the relationship. The intimacy of this relationship will result in both
parties sharing infor mation that could be damaging if leaked or used against

the other partner. Trust answers the questions:

1. Do you know what you are talking about? - competence; expertise

2. Will you recommend what is best for me? - customer orientation

3. Are you truthful? -honesty, candor

4. Can you and your company back up your promises? -dependability

Trust is an integral part of the relationship between customers and suppliers and results in increased
long-term revenues and profits."

WHY TRUST IS IMPORTANT?

In today's highly competitive market, buyers are faced with numerous product and supplier choices.
Traditional sales methods focused on closing deals are no longer effective. Buyers now seek customized
solutions for their specific needs. Long-term buyer-seller relationships, based on trust, open
communication, shared goals, and mutual benefit, are replacing adversarial approaches, benefiting both
parties.

A salesperson can build trust by value-added benefits demonstrating dependability when or sustain
assisting in an order delivery.

This shift toward relationship selling has altered both the roles salespeople play and the activities and
skills they exercise in carrying out these roles-the selling process itself. Today's more contemporary
selling process is embedded within the relationship marketing paradigm. As such, it emphasizes the
initiation and nurturing of long-term buyer- seller relationships based on mutual trust and value-added
benefits.

As Sean Wheat highlighted in the opening vignette, building trust and relationships in sales is challenging
when misrepresentations occur. Effective relationship selling involves collaborative problem-solving
between both parties. This collaboration aims to create unique solutions by understanding customer
needs and supplier capabilities for mutual benefits. This integrative, win-win, and collaborative
approach relies on strong communication and interpersonal skills that foster trust and enable
information sharing.

The skills and activities in relationship selling can be grouped into three main purposes: (1) initiating the
relationship, (2) developing it, and (3) enhancing it. These stages have evolved in importance and effort
allocation as the selling process has changed over time.

Expertise - the ability, knowledge, and resources to meet customer expectations.

HOW TO EARN TRUST?

Trust is important to any relationship. Several critical variables help salespeople earn a buyer's trust,
such as expertise, dependability, candor, customer orientation, and compatibility. The importance of
each is briefly discussed.

EXPERTISE

Inexperience is a challenge for young salespeople, particularly in industrial sales. Companies invest
significantly in training to accelerate their expertise in areas like product knowledge, industry insights,
competition, and market conditions. Young salespeople often shadow experienced colleagues to learn,
emphasizing dedication to service.
Buyers today, often dealing with reduced resources, crave expertise in various aspects, including their
own operations, financial situation, industry trends, and cost-cutting opportunities. Technical and detail-
oriented buyers especially value expertise.

Salespeople should assist clients in achieving their objectives, similar to how individuals seek financial
planners for their expertise. Credibility now hinges heavily on a seller's ability to contribute to a buyer's
bottom line, which is vital when targeting economic buyers.

Buyers want solutions, not just options. Salespeople must convey their ability, knowledge, and resources
to meet customers' expectations. They must also exhibit technical prowess and offer accurate and
complete information.

Expertise extends to a salesperson's skill, knowledge, time, and resources to deliver on promises,
treating all customers equally, regardless of size. Salespeople should surpass customers in their
understanding of various aspects, complementing their skills with insights into industry best practices.

Being an expert isn't enough; it must translate into tangible results and contributions for the buyer.

Contributions - something given to improve a situation or state for a buyer.

Dependability - predictability of a person's actions.

Predictability - A salesperson's behavior that can be foretold on the besis of observation or experience
by a buyer

Candor - honesty of the spoken word

Selling in Action

The Importance of Knowing My Limitations

Tom Simpson, a senior sales rep at Elite Printing, stresses the importance of acknowledging his
limitations. Elite Printing offers business communication solutions, serving a diverse clientele. When
faced with questions he can't answer, Tom opts for honesty, promising to find the information and
get back to the prospect. This approach preserves trust and integrity.

Exhibit 1.1
Questions That Salespeople Need to Answer Satisfactorily to Gain a Buyer's Trust

Expertise: Does the salesperson know what he or she needs to know? Does the salesperson and his or
her company have the ability and resources to get the job done right?

Dependability: Can I rely on the salesperson? Does the salesperson keep promises?

Candor: Is the salesperson honest in his or her spoken word? Is the salesperson's presentation fair and
balanced?

Customer Orientation: Does the salesperson truly care about the partnership? Will the salesperson go to
bat for customer (e.g. wrong order, late delivery)?

Compatibility: Will the buyer like doing business with the salesperson? Will the buyer like doing business
with the salesperson's company?

Customer orientation - means placing as much emphasis on the customer's interests as you would on
your own. An important facet of customer orientation is that salespeople work to satisfy the long-term
needs of their customers rather than their own short-term goals.

Compatibility/Likability - Customers generally like to deal with sales representatives they know, they
like, and with whom they can feel a bond.

Customer orientation - the act of salespeople placing as much emphasis on the customers interests as
their own.

“Good salespeople are never in hurry to earn commitment.”