Trust is an important currency for your business. When customers trust you and the business you’ve built, they are more inclined to work with you for the long haul. Conversely, when trust is lost, your network and list of clientele can come crumbling down and quickly. 

More than seven out of ten customers won’t do business with you if your company loses their trust. Trust can take months or even years to grow but can vanish in seconds. As Alyssa Merwin, LinkedIn VP of Sales, North America, states, it’s becoming more challenging to cultivate trust with prospects as business shift virtual.

While there are many reasons why prospects and clients aren’t trusting you, one potential reason is the way you come off. In this guide, we’ll discuss the tell-tale signs of an untrustworthy person, and show you how to avoid exhibiting shady behavior and practices so you can experience smoother, productive conversations with prospects and build long-lasting, trustful relationships. 

5 Shady Characteristics to Avoid

The key to success in sales and business is to be dependable, reliable, and, most importantly, honest. Your reputation as a trustworthy salesperson is at risk if you get caught up in any of these behaviors: 

1. Emailing or Calling Contacts Too Much

Cold prospecting calls don’t have high success rates, so persistence is an indispensable part of the sales process. That said, you should tread carefully. Some studies have found that less than 2% of cold calling results in meetings, and cold calling is only successful less than 10% of the time. 

You shouldn’t give up on prospects, however. Studies have shown that 80% of sales are made between the 5th and 12th contact. You have to keep pushing, but how many prospecting calls are too many? 

The answer isn’t definite. There’s a fine line between good persistence and rudeness; unfortunately, many salespeople cross it. Some call prospects four or five times a week, leaving an endless string of voicemails when no answer comes. It can make you come off as pushy and is a detriment to your sales strategy, particularly with the ubiquitous robocalls and mobile-phone scams that your prospective customers are already contending with. It’s most likely to annoy them instead of warming them up to the deal.

If you’re worried about this, make sure you utilize a contact management app, like Contacts+, so you can keep track of your call log and ensure you’re not reaching out too frequently. 

2. Lying and Being Dishonest

If you’re the type of salesperson who’s willing to say anything to close a deal, you’ll continue losing potential customers. Maaret Auvinen, HR director, says that honesty and transparency are core success factors in any long-term business relationship. And we have to agree. 

Prospects will uncover the lies you peddle to close deals at some point, most probably before they convert. Whether it’s a lie about product features, pricing, or company reputation, the prospect will soon uncover it, and the deal will be off. 

3. Price Swapping and Switching Practices

Some unscrupulous salespeople beat around the bush as far as the price goes, hoping to quote a higher price during the final meeting. Even worse, some play dirty tricks and keep changing the price during the course of the deal. 

Customers won’t stand for this. When you quote a price or stipulate a condition for the deal, that should be it till the end. And if the circumstances make it challenging to provide a firm price, you should explain this to the prospective client. If you’re selling a SaaS product, for example, and the company has plans to tweak the pricing, inform the prospect beforehand. Let them know the current price, but do mention that things could change in the future. Openness and transparency enhance the prospect’s trust in you and will help you build a relationship on good ground. 

4. Combative or Unfriendly Tone

Your objective as a salesperson should be to cultivate positive dialogue with prospects. For that to happen, you should shun boorishly aggressive talks and embrace acceptable, assertive behavior. 

Don’t call the prospect to say, “if you don’t close the deal by the end of the week, you’ll not qualify for the discount.” This approach sounds threatening, and it closes the door to further conversation. Instead, be friendly, respectful, and cognizant of their time.

5. No Follow-Up

If you’ve forgotten appointments, showed up late for a meeting, or failed to follow up in time, you’re coming off as a less dependable person. 

To become a successful salesperson or business leader, start attending every scheduled meeting and honoring commitments during the pre-and post-sales process. Make sure you follow up appropriately so you can capitalize on the deal and show your prospective client that you care about their partnership. 

The truth is that human beings are forgetful. If you manage appointments in a spreadsheet or sticky notes, essential appointments and follow-ups will slip through the cracks. A personal CRM, like Contacts+, can help you keep track of your contacts and scheduled appointments so you can facilitate appropriate follow-up. Contacts+ helps add a reminder for special events with each contact. This way, you’ll never forget a meeting with a prospect or fail to send the follow-up email you promised to send. Integrate Contacts+ with email marketing automation software, and you’ll take effective follow-up to the next level. 

How to Develop Good Communication Habits 

Salespeople who are feeling insecure or impatient can be tempted to be dishonest with prospects to close a deal faster. By avoiding this, you can create a business that practices clear, polite, and honest communication with prospects. Make sure that your team has a great understanding of what you’re selling, from the industry itself to your specific positioning within it. 

A great way to establish consistency and expectations with your team is to develop a cadence. For example, maybe you’ve found the most success by reaching out to prospects once a week. Have your team instill this practice for a duration of time before moving on. 

If, after those calls, the prospect doesn’t respond, determine if persistence is likely to pay off. Don’t give up if a prospect is a good fit but hasn’t set a meeting yet. Instead, put the prospect in a rotation, and reach out to them again in three months. 

You may think you come off as professional, trustworthy, and reliable to prospective customers. However, if you’ve found that your success rate is dwindling, it might be time to take a hard look at how you’re perceived. Use this as a guide to increase your trustworthiness so you can see more successful relationships in the future.