Building long-term relationships and a loyal customer base is increasingly important for MSP sales. In the past, many salespeople were focused on getting new customers. Today, your sales team recognizes that the main task is to focus on retaining customers for repeat sales and referrals. This can lead to increased performance and profits.
The problem is that many sales teams don’t focus on relationship-building, communication, and honesty. They tend to tell people what they want to hear, rather than building quality business relationships.
Are you trying to please your prospects and customers with false promises or are you developing strong, trusting relationships? It’s your integrity that will ultimately get you the sale.
So, what qualities do you need to do to build loyal customer relationships based on honesty, integrity, and trust?
Act with Integrity
You might be the best-dressed salesman on your team, know your product and make compelling reasons to buy your company’s products and services, but you’re still losing MSP sales. Most likely, this happens because you’re forgetting about the most important quality you need: trust based on your integrity.
This means telling the truth all the time. Even if you know your prospect or customer won’t be happy with what you’re offering, be honest and truthful. Don’t make false promises just to get the sale. You might lose the sale, but you’ll keep your integrity. Your prospect will respect you for that. You could even get a quality referral from them.
So, how do you make sure you always act with integrity so you can build strong relationships and trust with your clients? Here are some ideas:
1. Be Truthful
As mentioned previously, always be truthful. This might seem like common sense, but many people are comfortable twisting the truth to get what they want. It might be just a little “white lie” or it could be offering something you know you can’t deliver.
So, tell the truth and your customers won’t get any surprises in the future that make them doubt your integrity. That’s one of the best ways to build trust.
2. Admit Your Mistakes
Your customers don’t expect you to be perfect. So, if you make a mistake, whether it’s an error about your product or price, admit it. It’s not the mistake that makes your customer doubt your trustworthiness but the cover-up.
In fact, you’ll gain more respect by admitting your mistake and fixing it.
3. Focus on Who You Are
When you’re making a pitch, focus on who you are not what you sell. It’s important that your customers get to know you on a personal level. Spend more time building your character than using your selling skills. You’ll be more successful in the long run if your clients can see you have a high, reputable character.
Make Integrity the Basis of Your Sales Approach
When you make integrity the basis for your MSP sales approach, it strengthens the trusting relationship you have with your customers and prospects. By doing this, your customers will refer you to potential customers focusing on your straightforward honesty. In the end, this brings you more sales than the products do.
