MARKETING SUCCESS STRATEGIES: 3 Surefire Shortcuts to Build Trust and Sales

The best way to make a sale is to build trust with your prospect. The fastest way to build trust is to prove the value in the product or service you are selling. There are three shortcuts that make building easy, simple, and fast.

Key Takeaways

✓The fastest way to build trust with a prospect is to prove the value in what you are selling through samples, guarantees, information, or testimonials.

✓Guaranteeing your service quality (even if not the end result) shows confidence in your expertise and makes prospects more comfortable investing with you.

✓Third-party credibility through testimonials is one of the simplest ways to close a sale, especially when prospects don’t yet know or trust you.

#1 Give a Sample or a Guarantee

Now depending on the business you are in, this can be hard or easy. If you are in the food business then a sample is expected, everyone likes to taste what they are getting. Even in restaurants now many have turned to “tapas” to allow patrons to try taste-sized portions, smart restaurants offer a tiny taste of a new dish before each meal. There are many other product based businesses (think skincare) that serve up samples by the boatload, certain that when you try, you’ll buy! Often it works.

In a service business, it is all about being confident of your expertise and your offering so that you can make the prospect more comfortable. I guarantee my design services! Yes, that’s right I do. I guarantee that if you aren’t happy with it, I’ll buy it from you. I’m that certain that I am going to deliver a superior product. When you aren’t that certain, maybe you need to examine what it is you are offering. Often you can guarantee the quality of the experience but steer clear of guaranteeing the end result. This is especially a good fit for consulting. The end result depends on the users’ implementation, but you can guarantee the quality of the process you are presenting.

#2 Give Information

Often to get someone closer to a sale, they simply need more information. Women particularly, studies have shown, are prone to research their purchases before they buy. This is why while a man may know exactly what he wants, know precisely where to get it, and make one short trip; a woman, on the other hand, loves a mall or outlet center. She will check literally every shop that has anything close to what she wants, make a full comparison analysis and then buy. So when you can provide those comparisons upfront it can work in your favor. Consider the bold moves of several insurance carriers, Progressive being the #1, who offer this service. They know that if they do the leg work, the prospect is more likely to buy from them, even if they are potentially higher priced.

Information in many businesses can be done through a “Special Report,” the 5 Biggest Mistakes You Are Making in Decorating! or 3 Reasons You’ll Never Get Your House Sold. A “Special Report” provides value content that the prospect didn’t have before and drives them closer to a decision. This is a great leave behind item in a first call, or better yet an opportunity to catch web traffic. “Get YOUR Free Special Report” just give me your name and email address. You’ve captured the prospect to continue pursuit.

#3 Give a Testimonial

Third party credibility is one of the simplest ways to make a sale. Most small business owners when asked how they market reply “by word-of-mouth.” This is testimonials. The efficient way to do this is to create a process for regularly collecting these rave reviews by using specific questions designed to elicit in-depth and on target responses. Often it is best if you aren’t the one getting your own testimonials, as clients can feel put on the spot.

In the internet world, testimonials can make or break a sale as often the goods being sold are solely information based. If your audience doesn’t know you, doesn’t trust you and you need a sale consider providing some of your goods or services at a reduced rate or complimentary just to build up testimonials.

Whatever method you choose, these are key strategies for building trust quickly and effectively with prospects that you might not otherwise get a chance to profit from. Business isn’t old school anymore and it is up to you to get creative, consistent, and persistent in your methods.

Your comments and feedback are always welcome!

FAQ’S

How can I build trust with prospects quickly to make more sales?

The fastest way to build trust is to prove the value in what you are selling. You can do this through three shortcuts: offering a sample or guarantee, providing valuable information like a special report, or sharing testimonials from satisfied clients. Each method demonstrates your expertise and makes prospects more comfortable investing with you.

Can I guarantee my design services without guaranteeing the end result?

Yes, you can guarantee the quality of the experience or process you provide while steering clear of guaranteeing the end result. This works especially well for consulting, where the outcome depends on the client’s implementation. Guaranteeing your service quality shows confidence in your expertise and makes prospects more comfortable.

What is a special report and how does it help me get closer to a sale?

A special report provides valuable content that a prospect didn’t have before, like “5 Biggest Mistakes You Are Making in Decorating” or “3 Reasons You’ll Never Get Your House Sold.” It drives prospects closer to a decision by giving them information they need. You can use it as a leave-behind item or as a web capture tool by offering it free in exchange for a name and email address.

How do I collect testimonials effectively for my design business?

Create a process for regularly collecting testimonials by using specific questions designed to elicit in-depth, on-target responses. It’s often best if you aren’t the one asking directly, as clients can feel put on the spot. Consider providing some services at a reduced rate or complimentary just to build up testimonials when you’re starting out.

About Melissa Galt

Melissa Galt is a sought-after business coach, marketing consultant, keynote speaker and workshop leader who empowers designers to build highly profitable businesses, without the burnout. With over three decades as the principal of her namesake successful residential design firm, Melissa brings firsthand experience and proven strategies to guide creative professionals earn more in less time, with less stress.

She is the author of four transformative bestselling books, Marketing Luxury Design: Attracting Affluent Clients; The Language of Success: 35 Words to Boost Your Worth & Wealth; Design Discovery: The Proven Process to Land Ideal Clients & Grow Profit, and Proximity to Profits: 50 Strategic Locations to Meet Affluent Clients.

She is also the host of the weekly Design Business Freedom™ podcast, where she shares unfiltered advice on mindset, money, and marketing for interior design pros ready to elevate their game. When you’re ready to take your practice to the next level, book a complimentary Design Business Assessment with Melissa.

Melissa draws inspiration from her legacy of iconic creatives including her mother, the late Academy Award-winning actress Anne Baxter; her godmother, the legendary eight-time Oscar-winning costume designer Edith Head; and her great-grandfather, American architectural icon Frank Lloyd Wright.