How do you measure and improve your trustworthiness as a salesperson or marketer?

I believe there is also a hugely important component of trust along with these dimensions that deserves to stand out on its own: Authenticity. We will often forgive someone who lies to us but we will never forgive someone who lies about who they are (bar maybe Superman). It's so critical in this world we live it that we let people see the real us. That doesn't mean everyone needs to hear our life story... but it does mean that we have to avoid faking being someone who are not to try and get a 'result'.

The degree of trust and rapport that a salesperson can build with their clients, eventually depends on the salesperson's capacity for active listening. Salespeople must work on active listening once they have mastered their product and market knowledge. The active listening aspect of a salesperson's training is what companies should invest their time and money on.

Regularly gather feedback from your clients or customers through surveys, feedback forms, or direct conversations. Questions should seek to understand their perception of your honesty, reliability, and professionalism. Use the Net Promoter Score to gauge customer loyalty and satisfaction, which are indirect measures of trust. High scores can indicate a high level of trust in you or your brand.

To improve your credibility as a salesperson or marketer, focus on building strong relationships with clients. Be transparent and honest in your communication, deliver on promises, and provide valuable insights. Share testimonials and case studies to showcase your successful track record. Continuously seek feedback, learn from your mistakes, and adapt to client needs. Invest in professional development to stay updated on industry trends and best practices. Lastly, prioritize building trust over making a sale, as credibility is key to long-term success in sales and marketing.

Ensure that your messages are consistent across all channels and interactions. Inconsistencies can erode trust quickly. Always back up claims with facts and avoid exaggeration. Demonstrate integrity in all your professional interactions. Keep your promises, meet your deadlines, and admit when you are wrong. Personal integrity is the foundation of trustworthiness.

One of the best ways to improve your reliability is to get into the habit of making promises you know you have 100% control over delivering and do so with a specific time frame. So think in terms of Thursday at 3pm I will send you this report. And when you send it to them before then, mention briefly 'I know I promised to send this to you by 3 so here you go'. It shows your attention to detail and that you can be counted upon!

To me, the keys to building intimacy is both. demonstrating vulnerability as well as caring about what they care about. We get close to people that we feel psychologically safe with. We do so because they are open about not being perfect so they're being real with us. We also do so because they show they empathize with us and really do care about what we care about. They support us because they want the same thing as us. This builds this sense of unity and whoever we are on the same side with... battling the same monster.. going after the same outcome with... that brings a sense of intimacy and trust.

It's not just the fact that we ask questions but the type of questions we have. When your focus is really on the other person you are actually curious about what is going on with them. You want to understand what they are thinking AND feeling. You want to understand their desires and values, where their headspace is at. WHen your focus is there, you'll naturally be humble because you're not oriented to your own world.