Sell More by Saying "I Trust You" To Your Customers

  
Yes, you read the title correctly.   This isn't about whether your customers trust you, it's about whether you trust your customers.

Trust is a two-way street.  And it starts not with "You can trust me", but rather with "I trust you."  

In Reading Virtual Minds Volume I:  Science and History, author Joseph Carrabis makes this important point while talking about websites.

It may not be obvious why a website should communicate "We Trust You" to a visitor.  "We Trust You", however, is the first message which must be communicated before you can get anybody to trust you. 

Before I can ask you to trust me, I must demonstrate that I trust you.  This is The Handshake.  The first person to extend their hand is showing vulnerability, hence trust. Unless you demonstrate that you trust your customer they'll never trust you. 

In the book, Joseph Carrabis cites a contest where the company websites that did the best job of conveying this message on their home page matched, almost precisely, the top performing companies overall. 

The Law of Reciprocation and how it conveys trust  

Robert Cialdini, the master of persuasion, talks about The Law of Reciprocation.   In this example, a company who wanted people to fill out a survey gave possible participants a gift before they filled out the survey, rather than after. 

“As a way of saying thank you in advance for letting us know what you think, you’ll see we’ve included an “instant scratch it” ticket. Good luck. I hope you scratch up a winner.”

Amazingly, an incredible 76% of people returned the survey form! Why did it work so well? The gift scratch card triggered in their customers the law of reciprocation, and the feeling of wanting to give back.

But what else did that message send?  Sending a gift in advance sends the message, "We Trust You."  (Thanks to Jeffrey Eisenberg for pointing out the Cialdini tie-in.)

How can you show your customers you trust them?

We saw one example above.  But here are some other suggestions:

• Show vulnerability - This works especially well when speaking.  Start your presentation by sharing a funny story about how you failed, or faced an adversity in your life. 
• Show customer reviews both good and bad - Show your customers you value their opinions, even when they disagree with you.
• Start your web page or marketing piece with a testimonial - This shows that not only do you listen to your customers, you value their opinion enough to put it before your own.
• Talk about your customers before you talk about yourself - Use "you" copy talking about your customers, their experiences, wants and needs then use "we" copy talking about your own experiences and products.
• Encourage interactive feedback - Allow your customers to interact with you, your website, your discussion forums or on social media.  Feature consumer generated content.
• Listen more than you talk - Especially if you are in a face-to-face sales situation.  Most sales people talk 70% of the time.  Flip that - listen 70% of the time.  It sounds counterintuitive, but I am telling you, I've watched many master sales people and they consistently do this one thing.  I do it myself (as hard as it can be, I know) but I rarely lose a sale. 
• Give less advice, ask better questions - Especially if you sell to women.  I know you're thinking, "But she's coming to me for my expertise."   Correct, but most women want you to make decisions with them, not for them.   You may know exactly what she needs the minute she walks in the door.  But ask her insightful questions about what's she's looking for, what she wants, what's important to her.  Listen to her answers.  THEN giver her your advice.  This way she feels smart, she feels like she participated in the decision.  She feels like you trusted her and her intelligence enough to include her in the decision making process.

Trust your commercial audience

In this T-Mobile commercial, there are two edits that could make the whole spot much stronger - can you spot what those edits are?

Yup, you're right. The two edits would be:

1. When the priest says, "What you don't think we text?  We do."  Edit out the "We do."
2. When the girl says "Doesn't cost me one of these and one of these.  An arm and a leg."  Edit out "An arm and a leg."

These extra words send the message to the audience - "We don't trust you to get it."   When you ask a rhetorical question, then answer it, you send the message - "I don't trust you to get it."  When you have a clear visual message, but feel the need to repeat that message with the voice-over, you're sending the message "I don't trust you to get this very clear sight gag."

Look at your own marketing materials, presentations and selling process.  What are you doing to send your customers the message "We Trust You"?

Comments

[Robert Gorell]

I'm not sure what to thank you for most:

- Making the crucial main point of the article (which is so very true and important for people to hear).

or

- Writing about the EXACT TWO THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN BOTHERING ME ABOUT THAT T-MOBILE COMMERCIAL for the past two weeks. (The only times a comedian should explain a joke is to make fun of the audience for not getting it -- if they are in fact that stupid, which you could only verify in a live performance -- or when the punchline is so freaking obvious that the explanation of it is funnier than even telling it in the first place. In this case, it just screams, "You're too goddamn stupid to make the connection between an arm and a leg and 'an arm and a leg'.")

[Pixie Stevenson]

Holly, another great post. You provide some of the most insightful marketing information I've read. Yes, I hate being treated like I'm stupid.

[Mark Brady]

Love the Cialdini connection - did you know that Charlie Munger, Warren Buffet's pal and #2 man since forever buys Cialdini's "Influence" by the case and gives them out when he speaks to groups? He says that if more business people read it instead of all the other "businessman as hero" or shark/habits tripe they'd be able to copy Berkshire Hathaway's success pretty easily. Cialdini's Laws in that book really do cover the *simple* but counterintutive things we need to know. Nice post, thanks!

[Heather Buchanan]

Great point - espcially about humor and trust. But I have to call out - how many of you have used your personalized return labels sent to you by a charity and then not contributed? Not that I'm calling out anyone in particular....

[Holly Buchanan]

Robert - I know - that commercial irritated me, too. Funny how subtle little things can have a big impact.

Pixie - yup - no one likes being treated like they're stupid. I especially see this in sales situations with women. They watch for clues. Too often a salesman (or sales woman) sends that message - unintentionally. I do a lot of training with sales people on how NOT to send that message.

Mark - I think I've read about everything Cialdini has written. Genius and yes, everyone in business should be reading his stuff.

Heather - it's not nice to call out your sister in public. Yes, organizations send you those pesonalized address labels in hope you'll reciprocate with a check. Some people, I'm not saying I know who, don't send any money but still use the labels. I mean, they're already printed so it would be a waste to just, like, not use them. At least, for some people.

[The Brit]

Silly question - does anyone know who the afore 'arm and leg' girl is? Her voice and face are very familiar.

[HeatherO]

Great Post! Influence is one of the all time bests!
Great point about not trusting people to understand what we are saying! You actually make them feel like you think they are dumb!
(like when your mother says 'you are going to pack coats for the boys, aren't you?' when we are going to Vermont in December!)
Yep... you are so right:)

[Michael Hochman]

You are completely half-right, and completely half-wrong. The priest, yes. That was a completely unnecessary addition, 'we do' should be cut. But the woman with the arm and leg? Her dead-pan sarcasm delivery is spot-on and in no way is telling the audience they don't get it. In fact, I would say she's getting it ALONG with the audience. (She's basically saying 'See? Arm and a leg? Ha? Lol? I'm a cute blonde dork, but I'm adorable!') It's not an extra appendage (pun intended), it's humor. And such, I laugh every time i see it, and even say it in my everyday life.

[Website Design]

Thanks for the post...great reading it.A well made video too.

[Dave Greft]

I agree with Michael. The arm-and-a-leg woman is perfect in her delivery. Perfect. If you took it out, you'd lose half of her spot, and she's adorable (but not model adorable, every-day person adorable).

In fact, that segment alone is the strongest component of the commercial. It makes it. Without it, it would be a boring commercial.

[dsi r4]

I am glad to find this post. Its really interesting and helpful in real life business. I like your writing style. I am impressed the way you provide information.

[Ashley]

Im not sure who she is either although it was asked at http://www.answerblip.com/who-is-the-blond-in-the-t-mobile-commercial-that-holds-up-the-arm-and-the-leg if anyone knows please go and give your answer as I think alot of people want to know the answer.

[Tony]

She is Emily Tarver:

http://www.emilytarver.com/

[SakLoneemooni]

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