Man, oh man, trust is in short supply these days.
From politicians preaching one thing and then being caught doing the opposite to fake news stories to marketers, “stretching’ the truth. How does the consumer know who to believe?
When doing a one-to-many sales presentation, you need a lot of proof that you are the real deal who gets clients results and can be trusted.
One of the most crucial things you need to do during the opening of your presentation is to establish your credibility and authority. You can accomplish that by:
- Using outcome and character-based testimonials.
- Letting your audience know who you are by telling your origin story. (Tip: Include a photo of your family.)
- Using proof elements, including books you’ve written, television shows you’ve been on, awards you’ve won, celebrities you’ve worked with, etc.
Yes, there are many things you can do to build trust, and you should include as many of them as possible. However, the fastest way to get prospective clients to begin to trust you before you ever meet with them is to get an endorsement from someone who they already like a trust. That carries a lot of weight.
I spoke at an event where Kevin “Mr. Wonderful” O’Leary was the keynote speaker. He watched my entire talk from backstage. When I finished, he introduced himself and told me how much he enjoyed my presentation and that it was “terrific.” He then took the stage and told the audience that he hoped they were paying close attention because “that’s how you close a sale.”
Guess what. I made additional sales after he said that. Obviously, it would have been better had he endorsed me before I spoke! 🙂
Remember, even when you get a glowing endorsement from someone your prospects like and trust, you still need to include the same credibility and authority elements in your presentation as you would when speaking before an audience of cold leads.
In February’s Inner Sanctum “Sales Arcana” print newsletter, I share how to find joint venture partners, how to approach them so they enthusiastically say “yes” to endorsing you, the three main joint venture webinar frameworks, and how to choose the one that’s right for you.
The deadline to get your hot little hands on that issue is tomorrow.
If you’re so inclined, join us in the Inner Sanctum here:
Kick butt, make mucho DEEnero!
Dave “Trust Based Selling” Dee