Accelerate into a Trusted Advisor Relationship
We all have built relationships in our lives. From experience, we know that some relationships take more time to nurture than others. While this may be dependent on the person you are pursuing or getting to know, at the end of the day, trust is strategic and there are ways to accelerate trust. Follow along for 5 tips on how to accelerate trust.
1 . Remember the trust equation.
Trust = (credibility, reliability, and intimacy) - selfishness
When a relationship has credibility, reliability, and intimacy, it has the capacity to reach the level of a Trusted Advisor relationship. However, if you act selfishly, your trustworthiness will decrease.
Credibility refers to how knowledgeable you are in your client’s business and industry. You are their expert.
Reliability depends on your actions. Are you there for your client? Are you dependable and predictable? If you are, then you are reliable.
Intimacy is how secure your client feels with you. If they can trust you with their business secrets and know you will not tell anyone else, your intimacy “score” will increase.
Trustworthiness is the culmination of these qualities. You need to continuously work on these qualities to accelerate trust. If you act disinterested, arrogant, or unprofessional, the trust between you and your client will be broken and will be difficult or even impossible to repair. To have strong client relationships, we have to work on ourselves.
2. Be realistic.
We would all love our clients to trust in us, whole heartedly. Someone they can always rely on to do a perfect job, someone they can come to with any issue they might experience and someone they tell all of their friends about. However, this takes time. As previously mentioned, a relationship has to be nurtured; you cannot expect a life-long relationship right away. But, through working on the principles of trust, being a resource, advocating for your client, and being both positive and professional, your trustworthiness can blossom.
3. Be intentional.
Be committed, not attached. Your business is not a “one-size-fits-all," so practice being selective in your clients. If you are not positive that you can help a potential client, tell them. You need to filter through the people you can help to accelerate trust. Moreover, when you do acquire a client, do not stick to some imaginary plan to become their trusted advisor. Be genuine with your client— you do not want your client to feel used or taken advantage of; let your relationship naturally flow and stay committed to this process.
4. Demonstrate your trustworthiness.
In addition to practicing these basic principles of trust, focus on being humble, approachable, and genuine. Be there for your client. Send them a birthday card or congratulate them on hitting a certain milestone. Additionally, try not to let stress interfere with your relationship with a client. These small actions will create a world of difference between you and your competition.
5. Do not start on the wrong foot.
This relationship is not about you, it is about your client. Therefore, you need to focus on them. Ask them questions about their business, goals, and interests. It is important for you to be engaged and actively listen to whatever your client has to say. When it is appropriate to share, go ahead, but do not try to detract from what they are saying for the sake of yourself. This is when valuable and meaningful conversations occur, making trust the foundation of your relationship.
Remember that it is also okay to make mistakes— we all do. But, lead with these tips in your client relationships, and you might be surprised at how well your clients will respond.
How do you build trust with your clients? Let us know in the comments down below! Afterward, follow us on Linkedin at “Encompass-CX” for more blogs and updates.