Trust-Based Selling: Using Customer Focus and Collaboration to Build Long-Term Relationships

For years, I have believed that there was "something missing" in the sales programs to which I had been exposed. Despite all the words to the contrary, the many programs seemed manipulative with the focus on "getting the order." The many different incentive programs I've seen employed simply drove that point home. It was always in my sales team's best interest to "take the order off the buyer's desk." And even the more advanced relationship selling programs had that end goal as the reason for building the relationship. It was always about the seller's point of view even as they claimed to be customer oriented. Green finally has given us the language to use that makes it clear how the various rungs on the sales competency ladder lead you to success: product-based to needs-based to relationship-based and finally to trust-based state of mind. The first three rungs on the sales ladder are seller oriented. The last rung is customer oriented. For other than commodity products and services, the old adage that "nothing happens without a sale" must be updated to add "and no significant sale will happen without trust." Each chapter in this must read book begins with a "Chapter at a Glance" box that sets the reader up for what to expect and then Green fulfills that promise. The chapters are broken down into reasonable chunks of information that are easy to find when referring back to previous material. The writing is clear and the message compelling. There are many very useful diagrams, tables, and lists. Green states that there are four principles that drive trust-based selling: (1) A focus on the customer for the customer's sake, not just the seller's sake. (2) A style of selling that is consistently collaborative. (3) A perspective centered on the medium to long term. (4) A habit of being transparent in all dealings with the customer. Each of these principles is described in full, a list of what supports or encourages keeping those principles is given and then a discussion of what destroys the principles is also provided. The insight for the reader (especially those familiar with the usual sales training courses) is how much we are told we must do in sales actually destroys trust with our clients. Green provides us with a memory prodder in the form of an equation: T = (C+R+I)/(S) where T is trust, C is credibility, R is reliability, I is intimacy and S is self-orientation. Credibility is about the words we speak and the domain knowledge we bring to bear. Reliability has to do with our actions and delivering what we promise to the customer/client. Intimacy refers to the safety or security that we feel when entrusting someone with information or feelings. Self-orientation is the perception of whether or not the person in question is only interested in furthering his or her own goals or is more focused on helping others achieve their goals. Each of these parameters are explored in depth. Green then moves on to describe the "Trust Creation Process":

As a salesman for many years I agree with everything that Mr. Green says. In fact I remember a particular sales call where I took my vice president to visit the vice president of a company with whom we were doing business. The customer had issued a requirement for a computer printer. I had brought one of our printers with us and given it to one of his teckies on the way to the meeting. The customer asked, 'is this printer any good?' 'No, its a piece of s**t. But it's the cheapest piece of s**t that meats your specs.' 'It's really that bad?' 'Well,' I said, 'it prints OK after you get paper in it, but putting paper in it is difficult.' The customer smiled a little. "Yeah, I used to have one, I could never get the paper in it.' Then he turned to my VP and said, 'That's why I like to do business with him, he doesn't lie to me.' They changed their specs and down through the years I sold them an awful lot of printers. I think that this story illustrates what Mr. Green is saying. Make a friend, a trusted friend out of a customer or prospect and you can expect to get returns far beyond what you might expect, but only if you are a trusted friend as well.

Imagine, a sales book that suggests asking elevator questions versus making an elevator speech. Ponder a book that highlights principles versus process. Consider a book that recommends selling by doing not telling. This does even scratch the surface of what Charles Green discusses in this soon-to-be classic, Trust-Based Selling. As a performance consulting firm we are tenacious to read anything that will help us help our clients. There have been numerous books we have read and recommended. None approach the tenants in Trust-Based Selling. Mr. Green has captured what is means to have a true client focus. His approach is practical and honest. It addresses principles you live not techniques you turn on and off because you went through a sales training class. If collaboration, selflessness and transparency with clients are values you live by or wish to do so, Trust-Based Selling will help take those standards to new levels.

This book takes a solid look at the importance of relationships to enhance your appreciation for others and foster your creativity. We often believe that we understand the principles behind trust and relationships. However, the difficulty is in truly living these principles day-in and day-out. Further, we are challenged in helping our colleagues develop their trust levels with others. This book offers sound practical advice to overcome these difficulties and challenges so that we ultimately grow ourselves relative to long-term sustained relationships.

Charles Green has nailed the fundamental issue in sales today. As a 25 year veteran of the insurance industry, I can speak first hand to the challenge of overcoming the negative salesperson stereotype. The secret is to become "a radical truth teller" and to put the interests of buyers first. I especially liked the author's themes of collaboration and transparency. Sellers of intangible, experiential services will benefit greatly from Mr. Green's chapter on "Sell by Doing, Not by Telling."