Don't be incredible

Sellers expect that the credibility they seek originates with complete knowledge about their own products. Many times, they think that a great elevator pitch or the ability to wax poetic about the features and benefits of their products will cause a prospect to swoon. While a lack of knowledge about one's own products would certainly deem you not credible (incredible?), the opposite doesn't build credibility so much as it keeps you in the game.

The only way to build credibility with a prospect or customer is to demonstrate knowledge about their products and services. The days of asking for and receiving an appointment for the purpose of doing a Customer Needs Analysis are over. Prospects and customers expect you to know about their business before you walk in the door.

This doesn't mean that you have to be as expert as they are and it doesn't mean that you need to do a 100 hours of research to get up to speed. What it does mean is that you shouldn't be surprised by information that was available to you in a news story or that is detailed in a press release on the customer's website.

The modern sales call begins with the seller double checking his research for accuracy.

"This is what I learned while doing my research. Are these initiatives your most important?"

This approach takes one's credibility from zero to something and has the added benefit of kickstarting a series of questions that serves as one's Customer Needs Analysis.

Do you want to take your credibility up another notch in the same meeting? Brainstorm a couple of ideas before you get to the meeting. If you get the answers you're looking for from the prospect regarding their most important initiatives, go ahead and let them know what you're thinking. Always couch the idea as "half-baked" or "partially formed" so if the prospect doesn't think it's for them, they don't a) dismiss you entirely and b) think that the idea you're mentioning is your best possible work.

Sellers always start from a position of zero credibility with prospects. At the first possible opportunity the professional account manager must move that needle at least one tick in the upward direction.