Who do you trust more: a salesperson or a politician? With pandemic parties and dodgy procurement processes eroding trust in government considerably, it’s not surprising that a survey by HubSpot found that just 1% of respondents found politicians to be trustworthy. However, the same survey found that only 3% of respondents felt that salespeople were trustworthy. And for car salespeople specifically, that figure dropped to 1%.

Clearly, there’s a trust issue at the heart of sales. But salespeople have the opportunity to turn that around, according to Paul Owen, MD of the specialist sales transformation firm Sales Talent.

“Trust-based selling is the cornerstone of client satisfaction. Buyers these days face a huge amount of information online, much of it confusing and difficult to validate. As such, there has never been a time when a consultative, well-qualified sales advisor is more helpful.

“Done well, sales cuts through the noise, highlights the relevant points particular to each buyer’s needs and then says, ‘this is the best one for you’. This is a huge opportunity for those getting back to basics by delivering genuine, trust-based selling.”

Paul Owen, MD, Sales Talent

Key to building up trusting relationships with clients is listening to them and understanding them. According to Owen, it is that focus on the client that will ultimately lay the foundation for business growth.

“Focusing on making a quick profit is a sure-fire way to lose the client’s trust. The client needs to know that you are advising them from a position of expertise and that you’re focusing that expertise on meeting their needs. That doesn’t always mean recommending the most expensive product – it means recommending the most appropriate product to the client’s situation. That honest selling is the foundation for solid, long-term client relationships and thus for business growth.”

Paul Owen, MD, Sales Talent

The Sales Talent podcast has been downloaded 5,000 times so far, while Owen has also sold over 1,500 copies of his book, Secret Skill, Hidden Career. More than 2,500 students have attended Sales Talent’s introductory sales sessions, while up to 6,000 have participated in the company’s sales training courses. The company is now poised for further expansion in 2022.