Generating Instant Credibility (Part 2 In the Series)

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**Note: this is the second part of a five-part series on getting off to the right start in appointments.

Previous articles in the series:

• Start appointments right.

Credibility is the foundation for everything. You can be liked, but lack credibility, and you’ll lose sales. You can be assertive, but lack credibility, and you’ll torpedo yourself. You can even know your buyer on a personal level, but lack credibility in your business and she’ll always find ways to avoid doing business with you.

As we mentioned in part one of this series, establishing credibility begins (or doesn’t!) before you even meet. Here are some quick tips for generating instant credibility with your buyers.

Stop begging for appointments. It’s just not done by professionals. Would your company president nag some frontline manager for 15 minutes of their time? Of course not. Neither should you. Don’t plead. And as you know if you’ve read much at this site, your best way to get in the door is by personal recommendation, referral, or some other method of third-party endorsement.

If you’re using a phone script, make it believable. Too much hype and you generate more skepticism than credibility. Once you’re “dialoguing” with your buyer after that initial script, be careful not to over-hype or over-promise the results you might be able to get them.

Be enthusiastic, but not overly eager. If you’re a professional in your field, you’ve been down this road a thousand times, so act like it. For example, when scheduling the appointment your calendar should be flexible, but not wide open to meet with just anyone. Don’t be a giddy teenager, excited that someone might like you.

Dress the part. Don’t insult your buyer by dressing down. Good advice I received long ago and follow today: dress one step better than you think you should.

Remember you’re at least on par with the person you’re meeting with. What I mean here is, you’re not in a one-down position, so don’t put yourself there. For example, thank the person for their time, but don’t go overboard. This is as much a risk of wasting your time as theirs, so act like this first appointment isn’t some sort of partial victory. You’re not looking for busywork, you’re on a fact-finding mission in this first appointment to see if the prospect is worth your time, and to find out what pains them.

Talk slowly. Speaking too quickly gives the impression you’re in a hurry, you’re nervous, you’re overly excitable. Slow down. Don’t slur your words or run them together.

Ask questions that show you’ve done your homework. Ask follow-up questions about the company’s history, the founder, the current CEO or other executives, the product line, etc. These show that you did advance work before this meeting, a great sign of professionalism.

Log everything. This means you take notes feverishly. It also means anything date-oriented is double-checked against your busy calendar first. Despite what you might think, acting like you can remember everything in your head is ridiculous, and sends the wrong message to your buyer. You can’t remember everything, so don’t think you can or act like you can.

and finally…

Know your stuff cold. That means you not only know your product or service, you know your company, it’s history, it’s successes, it’s procedures, everything. And you know your limitations and authority. There’s nothing worse than a salesperson, in a first meeting, having to go check with the boss to see if something’s okay. That’s a quick way to look like a rookie.

Generating instant credibility is crucial for you in first appointments. While you should strive to master these tactics above, never forget that the strongest way to send the signal that you’re a professional, is to carry yourself as one.

Coming next in the series: Generating instant rapport.