Preferred methods of establishing credibility

Credibility - the quality of being believable or trustworthy.

What is your preferred method (or methods) of establishing credibility early in the sale? -Vito

If you're intentionlly trying to establish credibility, you lose already, in my opinion.

Going to work WITH the client is the way to solve HIS/HER need, or to provide solution or opportunity with your product or service. You estabish yourself as an advisor/consultant learning your client. You do that through exploration with well intentioned open ended questions that are designed to have your client provide information that relates to what they do, who they are, how they operate without your product or service or with a competitors product or service.

Dispensing a little small talk, exploring the clients situation with properly formulated questions, and then offering suggestion of how your product or service would fit varying situations you've uncovered with your questioning from YOUR CLIENTS POINT OF VIEW.

This is how I think you should offer yourself to your client.

Aloha.... Tom :cool: -rattus58

Thank you for the input Rattus. Does anyone else have input they would like to share? -Vito

Vito
Credibility comes from exposure. It all starts with initial contact. People will accept you and value you how you value yourself. I am not talking about being cocky or arrogant. Only clear and confident on: your role to help your client and .
Being a consultant is not something you do. It is who you are. Too often I find people telling people what to say and what to do instead of how to be. This is 75%. The 25% of what to do is ask questions and listen. Listen behind the words. Use compassion. Hope this helps. If you want to send specific questions I will be happy to answer.
chrisyonker.com -chrisyonker

Are you referring to personal credibility, company credibility, product credibility, industry credibility or all of the above? -Tony1905

Vito
IMHO I reckon credibility comes from experience, contact, interaction.

As Rattus implied it's about you and how effective you are at developing trust and building rapport with others:

'All credibility, all good conscience, all evidence of truth come only from the senses. -Friedrich Nietzsche' -marky

Could be all the above. If your potential customer has never heard of your company before you...you are the company. :) -chrisyonker

In my opinion, you are always the company! You are you, you are the company. You are his delivery schedule. You, are IT!

In my opinion....

Aloha... :cool: -rattus58

You should check out Wilson Learning's book called 'Win-Win Selling'. It's got a great section and model on 'Establishing Credibility' at the beginning of a sales call/relationship. The model for establishing credibility is 'PCCI' which stands for demonstrating 'Propriety, Competence, Commonality and (positive) Intent'. You can demonstrate these attributes at the outset of a sales call quickly. It works! -Neil Porter

Can you give examples? -Gary A Boye

I am in line with Tom....creditability is not a tactic, it is a state. Its a place where you arrive, through the eyes of your customer, not something you do. Is that making sense? I did not want to bore everyone with a lengthy response. -David Mack

I also agree with David. Credibility is a 'state' that you develop overtime with a client (if you get the callback after the first meeting/presentation).

However, credibility is something that can be 'demonstrated', and should be demonstrated.

At the outset of a relationship/during a first presentation (given that a client will be considering multiple providers and talking to many different sales people) it is critical that sales people establish 'their' credibility. We want to make sure that we get the second meeting opportunity. Make sense? -Neil Porter

It would make sense with examples. -Gary A Boye

It is true that credibility is a state. However it can be put in place by one's behavour. An example would be keeping a promise. To keep a promise, you must have one in place to keep. More strategy than tactic. Methodology is a component of strategy, -Gary A Boye

A good example is using 'PPP' to signpost and show your positive intent to the client at the outset of the meeting/presentation.

Purpose
[Answers the question, "Why am I here?"]

Process
[Shows the client the process you intend to use to achieve the stated purpose.]

Payoff
[Answers the question, "How will we both benefit from taking time out of our busy days?"]

It's basic stuff. But, the positive effect is great and a huge differentiator over sales people that don't signpost/show their positive intent.

(This is from p.33 of the aforementioned book).

BTW, I do not work for Wilson Learning. I did however, 4 years ago. -Neil Porter

I agree. During that very first initial call - when the buyer doesn't know you from Adam - you have just a few seconds to demonstrate or establish several things, credibility being one of them. -DaveB