Let’s face it: Americans are a cynical lot.  Years ago we never questioned a claim, study or statement about a product or a service. We trusted that the Maytag repairman was telling the truth, the expensive bottle of skin crème would magically take years off our faces and every hospital had the best doctor in town.

What happened in our experience to turn us from trust to distrust?

Think about some of the messages you hear from sales people:

• We care about our clients (Prospect: Well, you should. Prove it).
• We know your industry (Prospect: Really? When was the last time you attended one of our trade organization meetings?)
• We offer superior service (Prospect: You and every other professional in town)

How do you overcome the cynical prospect to build trust?

• Back it up.  We work with a firm that offers a service guarantee along with a multi point client service program that every employee has to complete. If a client doesn’t believe they received the level of service for the fee, they are encouraged to pay for the value they received.
• Educate the prospect.   We do this all the time. Firms that we work with have limited or no experience working with a marketing agency. We realize that it’s our responsibility to walk them through every recommendation, learn about their critical business issues and make them smarter about marketing and business development.
• Be transparent.  Some ideas are not the best ideas for a variety of reasons. A strategy can be seriously flawed. It takes a little tact to tell a prospect that their new widget won’t work or maybe your firm isn’t the best fit for them. When you are transparent, honest and open, you will begin to build trust.
• Set the ground rules and expectations.  Ever felt abused in a relationship? This can happen with a prospect too. Too many “free” half hour consultations can make you feel a little used and abused.  Don’t be afraid to define expectations for the relationship early especially when it comes to your time.  One way is to offer a no cost half hour consultation. Prospects know there is a time period needed for you just to get up to speed on their business issues.

How do you build trust with your prospects?  Tell us.