How to Become a Trusted Advisor in Sales: 8 Essential Obligations

Elevate your sales career by mastering the art of becoming a trusted advisor with these essential obligations.

If you proclaim that you want to be a trusted advisor, you will have to do the work that will allow you to become someone that occupies this role. There are a number of obligations you must observe. Without these obligations, it will be challenging to occupy the role you are seeking.

1. Establishing Expertise and Authority In Your Industry

Charlie Green would tell you that to be a trusted advisor, you will need to be credible, reliable, intimate, and have an other-orientation. But for our purposes, you will need to be an expert and an authority in your industry. Become an expert and an authority.

2. Developing a Deep Set of Insights

You will also need to have a deep set of insights gained over the time you have spent helping your clients make changes. Most of your peers and mine are more interested in selling their solution. They miss the idea of compelling change before it is necessary. Without this important obligation, you will have a lower level status compared to those who have organized their knowledge and experiences. Build a deep set of insights.

3. Recognizing What Your Client Needs to Know

Too few look through a higher resolution lens that would permit them to recognize what their contacts need to be able to pursue the change they need or to solve some problem that has confounded the client and their team. When we talk about creating value, we are talking about providing an education about their problem and enabling the rare decision that they need to get right the first time. This means you use your information disparity to help your client understand. You might believe that discovery is about you asking questions, but your contact needs to discover what they need to succeed in the future. Make a list of things you know that your client needs to know to succeed.

4. Implementing a Consultative Sales Approach

Consultative doesn’t mean what most salespeople believe. It does not mean you ask high-impact questions and avoid outdated pressure strategies. Consultative means that you provide your counsel, your advice, and your recommendations. In short, you lead the client as a way to ensure their future success. Many of our brothers and sisters still believe that the client is in charge simply because they will make the decision to buy from you or not. Use a consultative approach to lead your client through their buyer’s journey.

5. Researching the Client’s Company Thoroughly

One of my favorite stories is a rep that sat down and opened with the question: “What does your company do?” Needless to say, it was a short first meeting while also being his last. In the past, you might have been forgiven for not knowing much about the company. But since the dawn of the internet, there is no excuse for not sitting down to read everything you can. This research will help you design high-gain questions for your discovery. Make a list of things you can use to improve your first meeting, and every meeting after the first meeting.

6. In-Depth Research of the Client’s Industry

You must research the client’s industry. You might start by asking your peers that have already won clients in this industry. If there are others that have won in the industry, interview them and ask them to educate you. But even though you talked to other reps, you will still need to identify the headwinds and tailwinds that will help you to compel change. Most of your competitors will not talk to their teammates or do the heavy lifting of learning the client’s industry.

7. Continually Reading for Your Clients’ Benefit

I used to buy consequential books. The next time I met with a client, I gifted a book that was gathering dust on their bookshelves. After being disappointed that they never opened the book, I started to add the things I believed were of value to them by sharing the highlights that would help me keep them aware of what I could see before they did. You should constantly and consistently read for your clients. Pick up a substantial book you can share with your clients.

8. Ensuring Your Client Changes Before They Fail

It is still a thing that salespeople believe the client needs to have a problem before they can attempt to engage with a prospective client. Many disqualify prospects way too early, causing them to miss opportunities. Your obligation here is to protect your client by helping them to make a change before it is necessary. Get there first, and introduce the forces, factors, and trends before they fail.

If you are a salesperson, you now have a way to think about elevating your role as a trusted advisor. These 8 obligations will keep you on a path that will have you doing better work as a salesperson and a trusted advisor.

If you are a sales leader or sales manager, share this powerful way to help your sales team become someone your clients will prefer to buy from, and win over your competitors.

Do good work, and become your client’s trusted advisor and lead them to success. This is your obligation.

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