We’ve recently seen a multitude of new sales methodologies and approaches that present themselves as either loyalty-building strategies, methods of discovering previously unknown client needs, approaches to adapting to a certain manner of purchasing, or assuming the role of a business partner. Yet, one foundational concept has stood the test of time when it comes to driving long-term customer loyalty: trust between the buyer and seller.

Although we could say that trust plays an essential role in any kind of relationship, during an exchange of value in an economic relationship, trust assumes greater importance owing to the fact that the buyer experiences a certain degree of risk each time he/she transacts.

If customer loyalty results in lower acquisition costs and increased revenues, it follows that by focusing on the interpersonal attitudes, skills and behaviours most likely to engender trust, companies will get better at maximizing the lifetime value of each customer.

Dale Carnegie research states that 85% of customers, when asked about the behaviours most crucial to building trust, cited ‘providing honest and complete information, doing what was right for them rather than trying to make the sale, and keeping promises’. They even went so far as to say they would rather buy from a salesperson they trusted fully, than one who offered a lower price.

In the selling process, building trust from the prospecting phase lays the foundation for relationships. Salespeople should do well to remember that first impressions are the most important. During repeated positive interactions throughout the business lifecycle, it becomes a reciprocal action, with trust reinforcing relationships and vice versa.

One might beg the question, how would a salespeople directly create a trusting relationship at the get go? They engage in behaviours that foster it. Approaching each interaction with an attitude and a set of skills that drive the right response is what creates and strengthens trusted professional relationships. The skills, attitudes and behaviours in question here are confidence, communication and customer-focus, as well as understanding how to provide value to customers.

Although studies have examined the concept of customer orientation and found it to be an important characteristic of high sales performers, being “customer-oriented” is in several ways the opposite of being “sales-oriented,” whereby salespeople are primarily concerned with making large sales and achieving set targets. However, this one-track minded manner of thinking is somewhat detrimental to creating a long-lasting relationship with a customer, and it shouldn’t be the case.

This relationship/trust impact on loyalty manifests itself in both attitudes (emotional connection) and behaviours (continuing to purchase and spread positive word of mouth). Loyal customers share positive experiences with others, exhibit higher intent to repurchase, as well as increased wallet share.

Together, the individual assets of a positive attitude and being confident have a reciprocal association with sales competence, and being customer-focused allows salespeople to ultimately create an environment of trust through the behaviours of communicating and delivering value.