4 Stages Of Client Trust And How They Affect Your Profits

Want to be a trusted business advisor, not just an employee?

You'll have to earn it.

How do you get your clients to trust you?

It's all about the stages of client trust and how they affect your profits.

Stage 1: Impression

When you meet with a new client, they will form an impression of you based on the way you present yourself and your business. Artifacts and correspondence can also play a role in this stage — for example, the quality of your stationery and printer ink can make an impression when it comes to professionalism.? A well-written email and powerpoint presentation demonstrate you have the basics for starting a partner-based relationship - not sufficient, but necessary.

Sociability and professionalism are also important aspects of this stage. Are you friendly? Do you have a sense of humor? Does the client feel comfortable around you? Do they trust that you will deliver as promised?

Responsiveness to questions and requests for information is another aspect of this stage. If a client calls or emails with a question, will they get an immediate response from you? Is there someone else who can answer their question if it falls outside your area of expertise? This will help build trust between the two parties involved by demonstrating that there is someone else who has the answers they need when needed.

Stage 2: Interaction

Interaction is the second stage in the trust relationship. Once we have entered into a relationship with a new business partner, we experience a series of interactions, such as telephone discussions, meetings, and e-mails. These interactions, if handled professionally and thoughtfully, raise partner trust to the next level.

Interpersonal skills are crucial in this stage because they determine how well we communicate with our partners. Speaking skills and listening ability are important for building rapport and establishing relationships with people from different cultural backgrounds or social classes. Follow-through and timeliness are also important factors in building trust because they demonstrate reliability and dependability — two qualities that are essential for maintaining business relationships over time.

Stage 3: Direction

Most of us have had the experience of working with a client who was eager to listen, but who rarely sought our advice. We may have thought that this person trusted us and valued our input, only to realize later that they didn’t really want to hear it.

Many partners are at least somewhat aware of the fact that they need us as advisors but don’t ask for assistance unless they absolutely need it. These partners have reached the third stage of trust: They value our advice and know we know what we’re doing, but don’t necessarily expect us to provide it unless asked.

The third stage occurs when a partner begins to rely on our expertise more heavily. At this point, he or she sees us as an authority in our field and doesn’t question our recommendations or ideas. In fact, they look to us for guidance and direction instead of making decisions independently or on their own timeline. Partners at this level have developed enough trust in us that they are willing to let go of some control in order to take advantage of our knowledge and expertise.

Stage 4: Consultation

The fourth stage of trust is consultation. When the partner relationship reaches this level of trust, we are considered part of the partner’s strategic team. They turn to us whenever an issue arises, and trust us to play a role in developing their strategy.

In this stage, our role is to help them achieve their goals by leveraging our expertise in the area at hand. This can be anything from helping them develop a new product or service, to providing advice on how to grow their business.

At this point, we have helped our client achieve many of their goals and are now considered an important part of their team. This level of trust may result in us being named as one of their partners on their website or in marketing materials. If we are consulting internally at our organization, we are considered a permanent fixture in their day-to-day operations. At this stage, we are no longer just consultants working on projects for our clients — we have become partners who work together on achieving common goals.

Once you have reached this level of partnership with your client, you will likely get involved in helping them develop long term strategies that will help them achieve future growth goals. You may also be invited to take part in strategic planning sessions or other meetings where you will gain insight into how your client operates as a business — which can be very valuable when it comes to working with other departments or companies.

In Closing

Use this to plan out what you want from your client and map it to their growth. This can also help you figure out how much time you need for each stage, when you'll be paid, etc.

As long as you are aware of the 4 stages of trust, you will better be able to manage your internal clients' expectations. When you begin a project with someone, make sure you know where they are in the continuum. If you sense that it's time for an adjustment in your working relationship, don't be afraid to broach the subject with them. Be respectful, but also clear and direct about your intentions if you want to continue doing business with them. Don't let yourself get stuck in a stage where you feel underappreciated or exploited. Just remember that it's key for both parties to be on the same page about expectations at all times, so work when necessary to keep this line of communication open.

It's time to move beyond 'user-friendly' to trusted advisor status!

For a deeper dive into becoming a Trusted Business Advisor, join us for (FREE) Workshop on Wednesday, August 10th, at 10 am. Click here to join: https://bit.ly/3yAz93S