You pick up the phone. The person on the other end is motivated (really motivated) to sell their home quickly for cash. Maybe they’re dealing with foreclosure, bad tenants, or bankruptcy. Whatever the case, they’re in a bind and you have the solution.
Problem is, they aren’t going to work with you just because you can solve their problem, they have to believe in you and trust that you can actually solve their problem. You know you’re trustworthy, of course, but they just met you so they don’t know that.
In just a few short moments, you have to convince them that you’re trustworthy, you’re intelligent, and you are the best person to solve their problem. So how are you going to do it?
Here are 7 ways to do it:
1. Smile
It’s hard to overstate the power of a smile, especially in sales.
If you’re chatting with a motivated seller in person, smiling indicates that you’re confident, friendly, like-able, and happy, which builds trust. Naturally, people trust friendly, confident, and happy salespeople more than they trust non-smilers.
If you’re on the phone, smiling automatically changes the sound of your voice, carrying those same trust-building qualities through.
And if you’re still not convinced to spend more time smiling, consider the science of smiling that this fascinating Forbes article discusses.
“I started my exploratory journey in California, with an intriguing UC Berkeley 30-year longitudinal study that examined the smiles of students in an old yearbook, and measured their well-being and success throughout their lives. By measuring the smiles in the photographs the researchers were able to predict: how fulfilling and long lasting their marriages would be, how highly they would score on standardized tests of well-being and general happiness, and how inspiring they would be to others. The widest smilers consistently ranked highest in all of the above.”
2. Tell a Story
Stories are compelling, memorable, and emotionally charged. They help us make smart decisions (perhaps more than anything else), they teach gentle lessons free of judgement or condemnation. And they drive us to take action.
Plus, who doesn’t love listening to a great storyteller?
Try telling the story of a past client, or a relevant story from your own experience. It builds immediate trust with the listener, and it might even inspire them to work with you.
“People retain only 5% to 10% of information when presented with raw statistics, but when that same information is conveyed through a story, retention jumps 65% to 70%”. – Forbes
3. Use The Prospect’s Name
Dale Carnegie put it well in his book How to Win Friends and Influence People: “There is no sweeter sound to one’s ear than the sound of his own name.“
Most people, salespeople included, are bad at remembering names. That’s usually because they don’t realize how much a name builds trust, influence, and likability.
Try it, and watch your prospect perk up, grateful that you remembered their name and are willing to use it without hesitation.
4. Find Common Ground
People naturally trust people who are similar to them. Think about the reasons you’ve become friends with someone: the same shows, the same sport in high school, the same beliefs.
These similarities unite us. And in uniting us, they create trust and confidence.
It doesn’t take much. A shared hometown, the same style of house, even the same headache with a bad tenant. Find one small thing you actually have in common with the seller, and mention it early. That’s often all it takes to shift the call from “stranger on the phone” to “someone who gets it.”
5. Ask Lots Of Questions
Most people love being asked questions about what they do, who they are, their passions, their pursuits.
When we talk about ourselves, we feel important, valued, and cared for. And there’s no one we trust more than the person who’s genuinely curious about our loves, fears, desires, and beliefs, and who actually listens.
That’s likely why top-performing salespeople ask more questions and spend less time pitching or force-feeding information. Authentic questions and active listening don’t just surface useful information, they build trust with the seller, almost immediately.
6. Compliment Generously (Don’t Flatter)
How long does it take you to trust someone who tells you that you have a great head of hair, that you’re charismatic, or that they love the way you talk?
Not very long.
But this isn’t about inauthentic flattery. It’s about looking at and listening to a prospect and offering a genuine compliment on something you admire about them — maybe something from their past, maybe something from the present.
Authentic appreciation builds trust fast. Here’s how Dale Carnegie explains the difference between appreciation and flattery:
“The difference between appreciation and flattery? That is simple. One is sincere and the other insincere. One comes from the heart out; the other from the teeth out. One is unselfish; the other selfish. One is universally admired; the other universally condemned.”
7. Don’t Be Talkative
Talkativeness reads as a sign of neediness.
Think about how it feels when someone talks your ear off about who they are, what they do, and why they’re great. It’s annoying and it kills rapport.
Too many salespeople talk instead of listening. 69% of prospects want salespeople to just listen to their needs; 61% want them to stop being pushy.
So slow down, ask more questions, talk less, and listen to what the motivated seller has to say. We trust people who listen to us. It’s our nature and you can use that psychological fact to close more deals.