Do you need more than a handshake?

If you need more than a handshake, you’re still not safe

The only way to make a man trustworthy is to trust him. - Henry L. Stimson

We have all been burned by someone or some deal that went sideways. We have kicked ourselves for not having that promise in writing or missing a specific clause in a contract that was too vague to enforce. We have promised ourselves that next time it won’t be that way! And when that next time comes, you look the person in the eyes, shake hands, and trust them. Why? Because as professional salespeople, we want to trust people, and we want to be trusted. We do so in our human nature, and we rely on trust to build long-lasting relationships.

I’m not advocating that everything be a handshake agreement. We still need contracts, terms and conditions, and all the legalese in our documents. What I am discussing here is that when you are courting a customer, client, prospect, or future partner, understanding the things that make up the relationship and building trust are the things that are not in writing. They are the actions, responses, or, unfortunately, the broken promises. They are the missed meetings, forgotten reports, or the extra mile you went to provide details.

Part of being a professional salesperson is being able to trust and be trusted. I write about this in my recently published book, PROFITS, Your Seven Letters to Success, and as you can assume, it is the T in PROFITS where trust comes into play. To be trusted, it’s simple – say what you will do, and do what you say. Create trust by simply coming through in the situation. Don’t overpromise, but when you make a claim, stand up to it. When you fall short, make sure you own up to that also.

You can download a free PDF copy of my book by clicking HERE.