The Trusted Advisor - A unique perspective from a highly successful Sales Coach

This week, I was lucky to spend time with Louie and get to pick some of the best practices in Sales. Louie has worked with many companies and has 40+ years of experience in Sales. While I will be converting some of the sales concepts later this week, here is something I want to share with our newsletter audience.

This concept just hit me - Are you acting as the trusted advisor? Are you positioning yourself that way?

Here is what Louie says :

"More than any other title in sales, the one you want to own is Trusted Advisor. When your customer calls you their Trusted Advisor, you have arrived. Some think this title has become a sales cliché. They fail to realize it’s not about the words. This title elevates you to a level few salespeople ever reach. It’s a club you want to be a part of.

Here’s how you become a Trusted Advisor:

- Do what you said you would do.

- Do what your customers didn’t think could be done.

- Send thank you notes. Paper and digital.

- Keep your customers abreast of industry trends.

- Inform them of what their competitors are doing.

- Introduce them to people and companies who can help them.

- Keep them up to date on any new pricing, products, polices or procedures within your company.

- Check in often with value and make sure they are still happy with your product. Be proactive.

You’re probably thinking, that’s not so complicated. Your right, it’s not! Sales is simple. It’s just not easy. Doing the above tasks takes a conscientious, daily effort. But the effort is worth it.

I heard a term a long time ago; Comatose Marketing. Picture this: A patient in bad shape is lying in a hospital bed. The doctor comes into his room and checks the chart, checks the patient, and then tells the nurse to change the medication the patient is receiving intravenously.

As the new medication starts to take effect, the patient’s eyes slowly open and a small smile breaks out on his face.

The patient feels better and says thank you to the doctor with his expression.

This is the kind of metaphoric relationship you want with your customer.

They are giving you their arm and telling you, “You know what you’re doing. I trust you. Just give me what I need to get better.”

That’s your job and responsibility as a Trusted Advisor. Do your part and give your customers what they need to make and keep their business healthy.

Sales People – Go through the items above for each one of your customers. If you are delinquent in any one of these items, fix it – and join the most rewarding, and rewarded, club in business.

Sales Managers – A team of Trusted Advisors will bring you wealth and happiness. Keep the bullets above posted and use them as a checklist when doing account reviews."

And this leads me to Conclusion: Selling in the trusted advisor role, basically comes down to engaging with the customer in ways that put the customer first, and create value for both parties over the long term. This plays out in many ways and is a fundamental contrast to selling in the vendor relationship. In today’s increasingly competitive marketplace, the way we do business and the relationships we establish can materially impact buying decisions.

Sales professionals who achieve trusted advisor status have earned a seat at the table. This means that they become a part of their buyer’s organization’s strategic team. This means that they have more opportunities to position new solutions, renew existing contracts, and access other groups within the organization.

Beyond greater access and integration, sales professionals who are viewed as trusted advisors enjoy benefits, including:

• Bolstered client loyalty and retention
• Shortened sales cycles and competitive threats
• Decreased fee pressure and increased margins and profitability

Trusted advisors are also less likely to have to?combat buyer cynicism. In a study published by?Judgment and Decision Making, researchers found that many buyers are less likely to buy from a sales professional because they perceived information provided by unfamiliar sales professionals as untrue.Trusted advisor is the most powerful esteem that a sales professional can earn from their buyers. It is a status that should be treated with respect and nurtured before, during, and after every interaction.

Establishing a trusted advisor relationship with customers and clients is a powerful way to achieve competitive advantage and to decrease the risk of losing accounts to competitors.