Leonard BernsteinLeonard Bernstein, famous pianist and composer of the 20th century, was one of my mother’s favorite musicians.  She couldn’t read music but could play the piano by ear very well. If someone would just hum one line of a song, she could immediately begin to play it. Like any mother with that kind of talent, she wanted my sister and me to follow that path, so she scrimped and saved to pay a retired music teacher to come to our home each week to provide piano lessons. Neither of us had Mom’s ear for music, so we both became piano lesson dropouts after a couple of years.

I do remember being told an interesting story about Mom’s beloved Leonard Bernstein. Apparently he was asked by a photographer at an airport one day if he would pose for a picture on a motorcycle. Bernstein refused, saying that since he didn’t ride motorcycles he thought it would be phony.

The photographer tried to persuade him by showing him the controls and explaining briefly how to operate them. He dared Bernstein by telling him encouragingly that he could ride it if he tried. Hearing that challenge, Bernstein shocked everyone as he climbed onto the two-wheeler and sped across the airfield. After a short ride and a few maneuvers, he returned with a big grin on his face. He turned off the engine, but remained seated, giving the photographer the go ahead to snap the picture. He allowed the photo because he was now a legitimate motorcycle rider.

Bernstein realized the importance of credibility. Rest assured it’s no different in sales, so in this post I want to highlight some basic areas where credibility originates.

Familiarity – If you have yet to deliver a lot of results, you can still earn buyer trust as a result of your educational background or technical experience. When you can use your knowledge to help your buyers get something they desire, that builds credibility; so don’t be afraid to show what you know, as long as you don’t just flaunt a degree or quote a publication.

Face time – Potential buyers need to be assured that this is not your first month selling what you are selling. This means that sales veterans are automatically more credible that rookies. Since buyers also want to see a track record of delivering, and since credibility is synonymous with believability, it is very helpful to have evidence of delivering over an extended period of time. Once you have that, credibility is never a problem.

Facade – Every facet of the way you present yourself to buyers naturally affects your believability. Although it goes without saying that you should look good and smell good, that is only the beginning. Being an empty suit won’t take you where you want to go. When you are on time, organized, and listen well, the needle on your trust meter will rise.

Friendships – Although you may not be personally known by your buyer, if he knows your company, or knows about you from another customer or friend that he trusts, that is a great way to get out of the starting blocks. Just make sure you don’t try to ride your connections into the sunset by overdoing them.

Now that you’ve heard where it comes from, you need to know how to gain credibility. Understanding that it can’t be packaged and stockpiled for future use, here are a couple of ways to earn temporary credibility until you secure the real thing, if you’re a novice.

You can acquire temporary credibility by representing a company, product, or service with a recognizable name or a good track record in the eyes of your buyer. For example, when I see a uniformed warrior walk past, I automatically assume he or she knows how to function competently as a soldier.

Secondly, like a strong personal reference on a resume, temporary credibility can be obtained by transference from others, via an introduction, a letter, or even a phone call. This is credibility by association. It’s great, but you still have to pull your own little red wagon, once the door is opened for you by someone else.

When it comes to permanent credibility, the best method by far is gaining credibility by just doing it. Once you begin to help your buyers achieve successful outcomes, trust will build and these customers tend to do business with you again. Here’s a report card to help you know how you’re doing:

Report Card

When buyers react in the following ways, you’re on the right track:

  • Saying they trust you.
  • Sharing things that are very personal.
  • Focusing their attention clearly on you.
  • Prospects are prepared to discuss how your product or service relates to their needs.
  • Hearing more how questions than why

Conversely your credibility is lacking if you undergo the following:

  • Buyers act defensive and hostile toward you.
  • Prospects question your logic.
  • Buyers grill you and question your credentials.
  • Others don’t allow you to get to the crux of the appointment’s purpose.

By improving on your personal credibility you will establish a very strong foundation to build your sales career on that won’t turn into a house of cards or a Tower of Babel.

————Tony Weighs In————

Tony Iverson, a selling machine in the services industry for 30 years shared the following, “Doug you are always the Beacon providing very good information that all of us, including seasoned sales people, need to hear!” Become a subscriber to this FREE newsletter HERE.

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