You may have read that former Fox newscaster Megyn Kelly’s recent NBC interview with fringe extremist Alex Jones which was expected to be a win for her turned out to be a huge ratings flop. The interview was seen as an opportunistic grab for stardom, rather than a demonstration of interviewing expertise. In short, her rising star imploded. My interest is not in Kelly but in the implication for sales professionals that her failure illustrates.
You Can’t Jump the Gun
As noted on CNN, just because she and NBC want her to be the next Oprah, Diane Sawyer, or Barbara Walters doesn’t mean Kelly can join that illustrious club overnight. What those successful interviewers have done – that Kelly hasn’t – is earn the trust of the public over time. Oprah, Sawyer, and Walters established their reputations and trust with audiences over many years interviewing hundreds of people of all political stripes, so that an Alex Jones type interview for them would be just another show. Kelly, on the other hand, does not have that track record, so such an early controversial interview was seen as self-serving, sensational for sensation’s sake, and, seriously suspect.
It’s All About Trust
How is this incident related to sales? Like Kelly, most sales people want to be a “star,” a trusted advisor or partner, in the eyes of their “public,” their clients. However,
rushing that relationship doesn’t work, a fact NBC and Kelly fatally forgot. That relationship needs to be earned over time.Here are at least five timeless tips to begin that process:
1. Respect Client’s Time. Have meaningful conversations with clients. Asking questions about things you should know from company and industry information readily available online immediately lowers respect for you.
2. Avoid Fake Familiarity. You know how annoyed you become when direct marketers call and address you like an old friend: “Hiya, Anne. How’s it going today?” (I particularly love it when they see the “e” on my name and call me “Annie,” a name I detest). When you call, skip the awkward small talk and get to the reason for your call/visit,which should be related to their world.
3. Come in With Ideas. Even if your ideas are not ultimate fits, clients appreciate that you have taken the time to consider different ways to help them.
4. Be Authentic. If, after a discussion, you realize you are either not the right fit, or the timing is off, acknowledge that. Offer alternative resources or a better time to talk. That honesty and helpfulness will be remembered and will likely pay off in the future either in business or in a referral.
5. Deliver What You Promised. Over-promising and under-delivering is fatal. If anything, under-promise and over-deliver. The former leads to broken trust that can take years to repair, if ever. The latter leads to deeper, more lasting relationships. (I recall a rep who told a story of calling on a buyer who opened his desk and pulled out a contract that a company failed to honor five years earlier. He was waiting for the day that they attempted to do business with him again, so that he could pull that contract out again.)
There are other tips for earning trust with clients, but these five are a good start. I agree with David K.Williams, CEO, Fishbowl, a successful software company: “…at the heart of it, we, like you, are in the people business. It is the relationships we forge—and the trust we create—that matters most to our success at the end of the day.”
Anne Miller
Words Matter – Make What You Say Pay!
P.S. Full Forbes article by David Williams, click here.
Related Post: The Price of Crossing a Line
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“Anne and I recently worked together on a speech I gave at a large conference. She helped me turn a series of somewhat interesting points into an expertly crafted, compelling and actionable story. Together, we built a storyline with attention-grabbing headlines. We worked and re-worked the language, making sure every word was important. Finally, Anne coached me on the delivery. The result was so exciting – I’ve never been so well received in a speech before. Thank you, Anne!” Kate Griffin, Vice President, CFED.org