Mindset Monday - Sisters of Trust
“People do business with people they know, like and trust” – Dale Carnegie
We all know the quote above. A simple age old law in business. That quote has become a pillar of belief amongst business/sales people. We have spent immense amounts of money and time into cooking up ways for our clients and customers to know, like, and trust us.
So what’s the issue?
The problem is we can’t do any of that in an initial meeting.
In a business like ours, or any other high ticket sales business, we don’t always get an opportunity to get far enough down the relationship road to do any of that. I hate to say it, but there is no way we can make someone know, like and trust us on the first meeting, and we need to make as much progress as possible on that first meeting. In our business, we may not get a second chance. That agent we have been chasing may not give us a second meeting.
The appointments we set with agents and referral partners are meetings with consequences. We need to ensure, as best we can, that they are successful interactions. We need to properly plan and prepare to execute those meetings, giving us the greatest probability to build a base of trust.
We cannot get someone to know, like, or trust us on day one. Its not possible. What we can do is use the Sisters of Trust to get our foot in the door and set us up for success. We can establish the precursors to trust.
Nobody is going to know us on a first meeting. No one is going to vouch for us after meeting us once, or confirm they really “know” us if pressed. They will know of us. They will know us from that interaction, but they won’t really “KNOW US”. What we can do is have the feeling of familiarity. The more familiar we are to the counterpart the easier it is for them to get to know us.
Nobody is going to like us on a first meeting. Not truly like us. They may like us for the interaction. We may be likable. Most good sales professionals or simply good people are likeable. We are just not likely going to go from an initial realtor coffee meeting to invited over for dinner at their home on day one. What we can do is create alignment with the counterpart. The more alignment we have the more likely we are to get to the next rung on the liking ladder.
Nobody is going to trust you on the first meeting. They may trust in your expertise. You may have been recommended by someone that they trust. They may trust that you have good intentions, and that you seem like a trust worthy person, but you will not have earned true trust. What we can do is validate our counterpart. Validation is a precursor to trust. People trust the people they feel they can talk to, that understand them, and that validate their feelings/ideas. We can effectively/actively listen and use techniques that allow us to learn more about them, and that make our counterpart feel comfortable continuing to share. The more THEY share, the closer they move toward trust.
We cannot fabricate trust, what we can do is manufacture the scenarios where trust is won. We can be deliberate and tactical in our trust building. We can stack the deck in our favor for our next meeting.
Don’t force it, but be intentional, be organic.
Realize that we aren’t going to get all the way there on day one. That isn’t the goal. We often feel the pressure of the moment and the need to convert our meetings with clients/partners, especially these days. What we end up doing is trying to force progress. We neglect the sisters of trust, the precursors, and we try to jump the line. The result is a connection that isn’t as deep and not as close to true trust as we could be.
PS Next month Ignite will be hosting a 4 part deep dive in exactly how to do some of these things, techniques, and ways to give you the Tactical Trust Advantage. Be on the lookout for links to register. We will cover everything from meeting prep and research, leveraging the sisters of trust, to in-person and digital best practices, and learning to shape specific messages for your target audience that increase the effectiveness of the message.
Checkout the Tactical Trust Advantage Workshop HERE!
Crush it today!
Chris “Precursor” Catania
Written by Chris Catania
Chris Catania entered the mortgage industry in 2005. As a seasoned Branch Manager and coach at Fairway, Chris has consistently been at the forefront of providing, creative problem solving, exceptional service and tailored financial solutions. His commitment to excellence and deep understanding of the mortgage landscape have made him a trusted advisor and a leading figure in the field.
Beyond his professional achievements, Chris is a Army veteran, devoted husband and father. He is an avid outdoorsman and hunter. Chris also brings his leadership experience and skills to the community as a coach, where he mentors individuals, teaching them the values of teamwork, discipline, accountability and perseverance. Chris Catania's blend of professional acumen, family dedication, and community involvement truly sets him apart as a respected professional and valued community member.
