Credibility Advantage

transcript

The Credibility Advantage

Michael Lovas and Pam Holloway

Strategies and Tools for Increasing Results

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Credibility Payoff

• Shorter sales cycle / Higher closing percentage

• Referrals and introductions

• “First in” opportunities

• Higher quality leads and customers

• Higher valuation

Trust Speed

Trust & CredibilityIncrease Speed & Lower Cost

Stephen Covey - The Speed of Trust

What is credibility?

Credibility is a cluster concept

• Expertise

• Trustworthiness

• Reputation

• Innovation

• Integrity

• Leadership

• Experience

• Commitment

• Forward Thinking

• Relevance

• Confidence

• CharacterTuesday, June 21, 2011

A Leap of Faith

The confidence you inspire in others to trust your ability to deliver results

in support of their business.

A Leap of Faith

Rate Yourself

Haven’t YetEstablishedCredibility

One of the Most Credible

In My Field

1 5 10

CREDIBILITY PRINCIPLE # 1:

It’s not what YOU think that matters

Credibility is perception. It lives only in the mind of other people.

Rate Someone Else

MinimalCredibility

MaximumCredibility

1 5 10

“While it’s important for you to have a clear understanding of credibility, it’s more important

that you have a clear understanding of how other people (your stakeholders) define it.”

How do people decide if you are credible?

Your Industry

Your Profession

Your Company

You “inherit” credibility based on your perceptions of your profession (engineer, sales person, graphic artist), the company you work for and the Industry you work in.

You Personally

Inherited Credibility

• Congressman

• Local newspaper or TV reporter

• Teacher

• Member of the armed forces

• Local business representative

• Ordinary citizen

Who’s more credible?

1. Teacher

2. Member of the armed forces

3. Ordinary citizen

4. Local business representative

5. Local newspaper or TV reporter

6. Congressman

Who’s more credible?

Most Trusted Information Sources

The most trusted information sources are “people like me”

Build it and they will sell themselves.

Credibility opens the door and helps the customer “self-discover” your value so that they are already half

sold by the time you meet for the first time.

Credibility enables Attract (Pull) Marketing

versus Chase(Push) Marketing

So how do you “build it?”

Where do prospects look?

What do they need to “see”?

• Who else says so

• Scientific basis

• Comparison

• Transparency

• Elimination of risk

• Real people

How do you communicate?

• Endorsements and testimonials

• Research-based articles and papers

• Comparison Matrix

• Warranties, Guarantees, Free Trials

• Real people pictures and stories

Credibility Anchors

• Get other people to say good things about you

• Credibilitize your website and print materials

• Get Published

• Associate with other credible people, organization and brands

• Look and sound credible

Employ Other Messengers

•People I know

•People who are like me

•Experts

Credibilitize Your Marketing

• Science-based, Research-backed

• Endorsements and Testimonials

• Expert Review / Seal of Approval

• Comparisons

• Real people behind the scenes

• Track record

Orthopedic Research

Chiropractor Approved

Lifetime Warranty

History/Track Record

Innovative, Patented Technology

www. bragada.com

Get Published

• Book

• White Paper

• e-Book

• Article

• Blog

Associate

With other credible...

• Companies and brands

• Organizations

• Publications

• People

Individual Credibility

• Look credible

• Sound credible

• Write credibly

Thank You!

Michael Lovas and Pam Holloway

www.aboutpeople.com

michael@aboutpeople.com

pam@aboutpeople.com

Credibility Advantage

Business