Patrick Montgomery

One key aspect of earning trust is showing that you’re in it for the long haul. Make it clear that your support extends beyond scheduled sessions. Schedule weekly/month/quarterly calls and offer tools and resources they can take advantage of and encourage them to reach out with questions or for advice between meetings. This ongoing support structure not only helps them feel more secure in the process but also reinforces the value you provide as a partner. By being available and responsive, you demonstrate your commitment to their continuous growth and success. This approach builds a stronger, more trusting relationship, ensuring they feel supported every step of the way.

Every business, sales team and individual is unique, so a one-size-fits-all approach will not work. Show your prospects you recognize their needs by leading with your expertise in their market, industry, field, etc. Asking great education-based questions, tailoring your approach to their specific situation. A personalized/custom strategy demonstrates your advocacy and commitment to their business, and build trust by addressing their unique needs and goals. A customized approach also reinforces that you’re genuinely interested in finding the best solutions for them, not just using a cookie-cutter method. This builds trust and cultivates a collaborative relationship, leading to great conversations and life long customers for years to come.

My time as a sales leader at a top software company taught me a lot about “Sharing Successes” within a team. It’s not just about giving a motivational speech; it’s about teaching and helping your team learn. A good success story starts from the very beginning and explains each step taken to reach the goal or overcome the challenge. These stories should include the first steps, the actions needed to close a deal, and give a full view of the whole process. This way, everyone on the team understands what it takes to succeed and the rewards that come with it. By sharing these detailed success stories, we can inspire and equip our colleagues with the knowledge and strategies they need to succeed and help our team grow.

Transparency is vital. Being open and honest with your customers is the ONLY WAY to truly build trust and positions you as a credible partner, and advocate for your customers. Transparency means clearly communicating limitations, capabilities, pricing, and any potential challenges. Transparency helps manage expectations and builds long-term relationships based on mutual respect and understanding.

Building rapport is crucial in sales but often mistaken for small talk about the weather or current events. True rapport involves establishing trust and positioning yourself as a reliable expert in your customer’s domain, as highlighted in ISP’s Launchpad360 module, “Be an expert in your customer’s domain.” The most effective approach is “Leading With Expertise,” which allows you to guide the conversation and relationship by leveraging your expertise in both your customer’s industry and your own. This method serves as a catalyst for value-based discovery and ongoing analysis. Genuine rapport-building requires planning, strategy, discipline, execution, and patience.

Building lasting changes in planning, process, strategy and execution takes trust. Do not micromanage! You will kill morale and lose employees. Let them understand the expectation, and what it takes to execute on the new plan and let them do it. Regroup in a week or so, and make sure you are on the same page and that benchmarks and expectations are met, schedule weekly 1/1's, let them know they can do it, are capable, you trust them to execute and are excited to see their amazing work. Lead with empathy and stay positive. Always leverage outside training resources to get the help you need. Do not be prideful! Get the help you need!