This is a rare, but probably more frequent rant on Better Closer. Sure this is a blog about sales, but the crisis of trust and integrity that surrounds us is directly affecting yours and my sales.
If you can’t trust mortgage brokers, investment bankers, Governors, former NASDAQ Chairman, how are consumers going to trust the average bag toting sales chap? They’re not.
What is the answer? I’m not so sure I have a great one, but I know where I am going to start–try harder, be more transparent, and give value in as many places as possible. Social media is helping with this type of objective.
You need to get a strategy to enforce and verify your integrity to customers. Here are my thoughts:
- Associate yourself with good neighborhoods (on Twitter, FriendFeed, LinkedIn)
- Participate actively in the conversation–remember the Cluetrain Manifesto
- Regain Trust and Credibility Online
Obviously, this theme has been on my mind for some time. It seems to me that managing your online identity is the most effective way to help consumers quickly check you out, verify your credentials, and develop some opinion of your trustworthiness.
What is your best advice for rebuilding trust and integrity in sales?
(photo credit: gruntzooki)
About Bill Rice
