So much is up in the air right now. When will the quarantine end? How long will it take businesses to get back to their normal stride? Are we doing everything we can to be safe? Amid all this confusion, you can be the beacon of clarity for your prospects. Not only are you providing answers to one or more of their problems, you can ensure they understand all the ways buying from you specifically will benefit them.

Austin Ries, writing for SellingPower, says that the best way for salespeople to “help prospects and customers make sense of a complex world” is to become their sense makers. You can accomplish this in a few ways.

Lowering Skepticism by Increasing Trust

Now more than ever, you can’t convince a prospect to blindly trust that your product or service will solve all their problems. People are already skeptical enough about salespeople as it is without being asked for trust you haven’t taken the steps to gain. Ries says that salespeople have to “help prospects make sense of their options.” Explain how what you’re selling is a good fit for their present needs and talk through the prospect’s other options to discover which would be the most beneficial to them, even if it’s not you. And always welcome questions from the prospect. Providing answers will help them know more about you and what you’re selling. The resulting comfort will help you land that sale.

Promote Your Humanity

Earning a prospect’s trust goes beyond assuring them that your product or service is the perfect fit for them. You also need to sell yourself. You should be providing answers for why should they trust you to handle their needs. Discuss your customer service plan that will follow the purchase. Ask what they’d need from you to move forward and come to a feasible agreement. If you can assure your prospect that you’ll continue to be there to help them even after the sale is done, they’ll be more confident that they made the right purchase, even if things get difficult.