Being Credible Leads to More Sales

Over the course of the past year or more, I've written a series of blog post on the importance of credible marketing and how you can make your marketing more credible. While I haven't covered this topic in the past few months, it's still extremely important to me and should be to you as you build your start-up.

Last week, I read a post on Michael Maslansky's Language of Trust blog, which is also the name of his great book by the same name, called What's Your Credibility Quotient written by Brittany Glenn. This post looks at how your chances of closing a sale are much higher if you have credibility with the customer which is really the flip side of the same coin I've been talking about when I explore the importance of credible marketing.  

The reality is that buyers are less loyal today and "buyers can fact-check everything you say and they can always find another choice" as Maslansky points out. So if your sales or marketing aren't credible or you overpromise and underdeliver then the buyer will find out and not only refuse to buy from you but also tell others using social media and other tools on the Internet.

In both sales and marketing, the power rests with the customers because it's so easy to weed out the companies that aren't being entirely true about their product or themselves. If the prospective customers senses anything with the company or people that represent it that is not credible, they will take their purchases elsewhere. It may sound old-fashioned but honesty really is the best policy.

Credibility in sales and marketing is not just about honesty and the truth, although both are a big part of it, you also need to do the little things. In the post, Jean Kelley, author of Get A Job Keep A Job Handbook, agrees with something I wrote about last week in that “It’s the small things, like not returning e-mails promptly, that tarnish a reputation more so than the bigger issues.”  

Kelley adds these other behaviors that you need to focus on to build credibility:

• Don’t overpromise. Do what you say you will do.
• Be open about your motives behind a directive or decision.
• Fess up to mistakes.
• Keep people’s confidences. Get permission before divulging sensitive information.
• Treat others consistently and fairly.
• Listen to others.

While Kelley was talking about sales people, these behaviors could, and should, just as easily apply to marketing and all the people in your company if you want to build a credible brand. I've seen and heard of too many start-ups that may not follow these behaviors and eventually pay the price.

If you want to build a company that has lifelong customers who want to do business with you, then you need to ensure both your sales AND marketing are credible by doing the little things well and being honest. This may sound like motherhood and apple pie but your customers will spread the word about your credibilty and how everyone should buy from you.

Comments

[Jad]

Perry,I really like your vidoes but the main street thing just seems too spammy. You know how we talk on Bmyers forum on sales vidoes that come on automatically etc just not your usual style.Like your video product reviews and your personal vidoes talking about gidgets/gadgets and vidoes.thanks[]askmrvideo Reply:April 25th, 2011 at 3:03 pmThanks Joe. So was this particular video too spammy? Was meant to be a basic guide. Would love your feedback.[]

[Stefano]

i heard of small internet buesisnses where people can make money by being online and doing stuff what is this about? how can i get into something simple without investing money first? can i get a job online where i can work from home and get my payment deposited into an online account?