Would you buy from you?

For over 43 years, Sales Concepts has trained people who work with customers and their managers. In many of our programs, salespeople practice selling their products and services to our instructors. During these customized calls, salespeople often tell us they are transparent. Those who hire salespeople say this is an important attribute they look for in a salesperson. You may have even heard a salesperson say they wanted to be transparent with you when you purchased something. But what exactly does that mean?

If you look up the word transparent, you find the following:

• free from pretense or deceit
• frank
• easily detected or seen through
• obvious
• readily understood
• truthful
• fine or sheer enough to be seen through

Based on the definition, when salespeople say they are transparent, they pronounce themselves as honest and authentic communicators. After all, the salesperson is the one boasting of transparency. If one of your selling points is transparency, how does a prospect know this to be true?

You can’t tell people you are transparent; you must show them. But how?

Here are some ideas:

• Listen!
• Don’t interrupt.
• Ask questions and work to learn about their needs and concerns.
• Show empathy.
• Approach the sale from the buyer’s perspective.
• Comprehend complete product knowledge. What do they get because of your products and services? Focus on what your solution does for the customer, not what it is.
• Maintain eye contact, but don’t get into a staring contest!
• Be available and answer their call!
• Respond to their emails promptly.
• Be reliable and keep your word.
• Don’t procrastinate sharing bad news with your prospects and customers.
• Listen to body language experts. There are plenty of videos that provide ideas on communicating transparently with others.

Remember how the decision to buy from you will impact the prospect’s reputation in their company. They are being judged on their decisions. Be a positive one!

All interactions between you and your prospects reveal a little more for them to determine if you are a reliable communicator and honest. Prospects and customers, consciously or unconsciously, always ask themselves, is this person trustworthy? How will I be impacted if I trust them? What happens to me if I’m wrong? For these reasons, salespeople must be genuinely transparent. There is no substitute for integrity.