If people like you, they will listen to you. But if people trust you, they will do business with you. — Zig Ziglar

Trust is a matter of perception. And it is something that we focus on in our everyday lives. Trust and credibility are fundamental pillars of a successful sales career.

Building trust with clients may be the single most important accomplishment to guarantee improved sales performance.

Building Trust with Clients Contributes to Long-​Term Success

Consulting firm PwC released its 2024 Trust Survey earlier this year. The study sheds light on the critical importance of trust among companies, customers, employees, and stakeholders. The analysis gives special weight to how the capacity to build and maintain trust affects an organization’s bottom line.

The survey found that 61% of consumers have recommended a trusted company to a friend or family member. Consumers also spend more at companies they trust; 46% purchased more, and 28% paid a premium. Conversely, four in 10 customers no longer purchase from a company due to a lack of trust.

In addition, 60% of employees say they have recommended a company to friends or family as a place to work because they trusted the company. Equally, 22% of employees say that they have left a company because of trust issues.

Trust Can Make or Break a Sales Organization

Trust in sales begins with belief in the product or service being sold. Credibility is enhanced by demonstrating extensive product knowledge and being a reliable source of information. By being truthful and prioritizing ethical standards, salespeople can continue building trust with clients. 

Interestingly, PwC’s survey revealed that 90% of business executives think customers highly trust their company. However, results attest to a huge 60-​point gap as only 30% of consumers admit to a high level of trust. What’s more, this gap has grown slightly over surveys in two prior years.

The consultancy believes that executives may be more optimistic about trust levels because they don’t fully capture accurate data. Further, their methods and metrics of in-​house surveys are subjective and only provide a partial measure.

Employees are More Likely to Trust Co-​Workers and Peers

In the workplace, familiarity creates trust. It’s as simple as people don’t trust what they don’t know. Without regular interaction with subordinates or co-​workers, it’s hard to forge the bonds of trust.

This is understood as the survey shows distrust of the C‑suite by line workers and entry-​level employees. PwC recommends team building exercises and offering opportunities for career advancement as a remedy. Also, greater exposure to people in different parts of the organization through job rotation may strengthen trust.

SalesFuel’s Credibility Survey Tends to Agree

The 2023 Credibility Survey conducted by SalesFuel shows similar results when it comes to co-​workers and peers. Only 54% of employees trust their company’s CEO. But 64.6% feel their co-​workers are very or somewhat credible.

This study of over 1,000 adults reveals that 46% of respondents feel people are somewhat less to noticeably less credible. Sadly, only 26.5% of adults feel that salespeople are credible. Automotive salespeople score slightly lower with 20.5% of folks agreeing or strongly agreeing to their credibility.

This indicates that sellers have much work to be done in building trust with clients. 

Doctors, nurses, high school teachers, and small business owners score highest in the trust/​credibility category. Similarly, hospitals, colleges/​universities and banks are industries that respondents agree or somewhat agree rank higher in their credibility.

Building Trust with Clients

Ted Kalomiris posted on LinkedIn his thoughts on trust and credibility in a business setting. Also, coach and mentor, Tony Sheperd, shared strategies to building trust with clients. Their recommendations:

1. Being transparent and honest in all interactions
2. Demonstrating knowledge and expertise in their field
3. Consistently delivering on promises and commitments
4. Showing empathy and understanding of customer needs
5. Providing value beyond just selling products or services
6. Building a strong personal brand, especially on platforms like LinkedIn

Credibility is priceless. And, as Shepherd points out, buyers today dictate the sales process. Therefore, building trust with clients is mandatory to foster loyalty and retention. It also contributes to customer referrals and an unbeatable competitive advantage.

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