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How to Make People
Trust You
By Stuart Ayling
A recent report on technology brands by market research firm Forrester (Oct. 2005) shows that
high complexity equals low trust. Another key point is that late-adopters are less likely to trust brands than early-adopters.
These findings have relevance for marketing in general, and for developing trust-based relationships with clients.
The bottom line is that to create trust you need to be focused on helping the other person achieve their outcomes. For technology companies this means making their software and products reliable and easy-to-use.
What do you need to do to make people trust you?
Imagine going to a doctor and being ‘sold’ on the latest drug they have learnt about. You go in expecting the doctor to be interested in your situation, and to help you find a solution. But instead she quickly finds a reason (any reason will do) to tell you about this new drug and what it can do for you.
You would be disappointed. You might be frustrated. And you wouldn’t trust their recommendation of that drug… even if it was what you needed.
Are you waiting for me to tell you how to make people trust you – after all, that is the headline of this article?
Well here’s the truth. Trust is a two-way street. You can’t really ‘make’ people trust you. That comes very close to a confidence-trick – creating false trust just to get the result you want.
In my relationship-based sales training course Selling With Confidence I present a number of things you can do to help create trust, including
establishing expertise, and being dependable. These are best achieved by acting in a proactive manner and planning ahead to create trust-building moments. And never forget that you have to be trustworthy to be trusted.
Importantly you need to trust your client so they can trust you. To trust your client you need to know them and their situation. So it gets personal. And often it can take a bit of
time to find out what you need to know. There are no shortcuts.
However, not all businesses need to cultivate this degree of trust with their clients – especially those that offer smaller, retail transactions. That’s OK. But make sure you understand what level of trust your client
requires to be confident in you.
Too many professionals and service providers treat their clients merely as
transactions, simply a way to generate revenue. As a result they never ask the right questions to get a deeper understanding of what their client needs. So they never get to the stage of creating trust.
To foster the development of trust between you and your client you must:
 Be open to learning about your
client.
Be prepared to ask questions.
Be confident in yourself.
Be honest in your explanations.
Make the time to create trust-building moments.
Truly have your clients best interests at heart.
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