Understanding the Importance of Transparency in Sales
The way I see it, a lot of people seem to think transparency in sales is just about being honest with the customer. In fact, I have heard my friends say things like "but I was honest about the price" or "I told her that the offer was only valid for three days". While those statements are technically true and honest, that's not all it takes to be truly transparent with your customers.
It seems like simply speaking the truth is not enough if you want to build trust with the people you are selling to. For me, transparency in sales has always been about honesty and openness.
It's about being clear about not only what you are offering but also what you are not offering. It's about communicating your product or service's features as well as its limitations.
For instance, if you're a skincare brand that claims their products can reverse signs of ageing but there is actually little or no scientific evidence to back up these claims, that's a lack of transparency. On the other hand, if you're a skincare brand that claims their products can reverse signs of ageing but there is little scientific evidence to back up these claims so that's why they recommend their products be used in conjunction with other anti-ageing methods, now that's transparency.
And it's bound to build trust. More or less. And if you make your customer feel empowered by sharing this information with them, you've pretty much got yourself a loyal customer. But there's obviously more nuance and complexity to this approach than meets the eye.
There are customers out there who may not react very well to hearing that your anti-ageing serum isn't going to make them look like they've had Botox injections. But being prepared for these reactions and responding genuinely can help you build confidence and trust even among these types of customers. It's important to remember that relationships built on a foundation of trust are key for success in sales so it makes sense for sales teams and professionals alike to strive for transparency in their approach. Being transparent means potential customers will feel more confident throughout the buyer's journey which could lead them towards an easier sale while retaining them long term as well - something all businesses want.
Tip 1: Be Honest About Your Products and Services
Most people think being honest about their products and services means focusing on the benefits and positive attributes. It seems that they are only telling half the story. The reality is, honesty also involves being upfront about your product’s limitations or any potential downsides.
In my experience, consumers want to know what to expect from your products or services. When you are upfront with them, you are telling them exactly what your product can do for them, as well as what it cannot do. This might sound counter-intuitive for a business that needs to make sales but it is seldom precisely because of this that customers will trust your brand and be open to paying for your offerings. It can get quite complicated when there are so many factors involved such as competition, pricing, technology, and customer service involved.
You want to make sure that you are a bit putting your best foot forward but that does not mean you have to overpromise and underdeliver. The best way to approach this is by sticking to the facts and backing up your claims with data or research. If a certain service can get a job done in less than an hour, then let them know how much time it would take using other tools so they understand the benefits. If your software has yet to roll out a key feature, let them know it’s on the way.
Tip 2: Share Customer Testimonials and Reviews
It's such a shame to see people spend so much energy curating their own words on their brand to sound appealing, when what people actually want to know is what customers who have bought into the brand actually think of it. There's nothing more interesting than the truth. It seems like and nobody is going to do you more good than a happy customer with a nice story about how great your brand is. I believe in the power of storytelling because most customers don't tend to respond well to information, as much as they do to stories and experiences.
Sort of. If a person can picture themselves having a similar experience to someone else who was satisfied with something they bought, they're far more likely to buy it themselves. It might be hard to get people to open up at first but you can have open calls for feedback and reviews on your Instagram and social media pages, by putting up stories that ask people what they like most about your product, or by sharing review and comment sections from your website and online store directly. There's some complexity that arises in these cases because we all know it's easy for anyone on the internet to say anything.
So, when you're requesting testimonials and reviews from your customers, try not to over-filter them and only take reviews from verified users. You want genuine stories from real people who've experienced your products and not paid reviewers. It's fine if someone didn't like something - that's alright too. At least it's real.
No matter how great the review, never publish anything that's generic or doesn't seem like someone who has engaged with your brand personally - those types of reviews are bound to backfire if customers find out you've purchased them. It's always best to be honest and transparent about whose stories you're sharing when it comes to customer testimonials and reviews. Sort of.
Tip 3: Communicate Pricing Clearly
I know, everyone says they’re clear about their pricing. And customers should be able to find things out on their own anyway - it’s 2024 and we all have a phone. But you’d be surprised how often customers want to buy and are ready with their credit cards, only to walk away because they’re not sure whether that pair of pants is $125 or $250, or if the extra shipping charge is because of their postcode or because there’s an extra insurance fee for jewellery.
I think there’s a part of us that feels like pricing conversations are taboo - like it’s rude to talk about money or be direct about how much things cost, or what fees might crop up down the line. It might feel slightly gauche to spell out every little thing that could cost your customer more than the sticker price. But people are working hard for their money, and trust us to help them choose how they spend it.
More or less. And I know sometimes it’s not in your control - especially if you’re a reseller, don’t know what the next season’s prices are possibly going to look like, or deal with external partners for logistics. If you can’t always guarantee the same price every time, try and share what changes things so your customer can reportedly plan ahead and feel informed as soon as possible.
The more you explain why things cost as much as they do - without being defensive - the better your customer feels about spending money at your store. And sharing discounts at checkout is just good business sense - because who doesn’t love a bargain.
Tip 4: Provide Insight into Your Business Practices
Many business owners get so wrapped up in promoting their products, they completely forget to show what goes on behind the scenes. They think that customers only care about the product itself, not how it’s made or who makes it. I Believe it’s only natural to want to put your best foot forward, but leaving out a massive part of the story is seldom a mistake.
The reality is that customers love seeing how you work - even the unglamorous bits. I get why people shy away from showing the nitty gritty details of their business. What if something’s out of place, or there’s an error.
But if we look at the rise in popularity of “get ready with me” videos or shows like “How It’s Made”, you’ll see that showing these moments doesn’t take away from your brand. If anything, it adds credibility to it. Now, here’s where things can get complicated.
There are some secrets that you may need to protect to keep your business running smoothly. You might have trade secrets that separate you from your competitors, or staff whose privacy needs to be protected. It can be difficult to figure out where to draw the line. The good news is that you don’t have to show everything about your business - just what you’re comfortable sharing.
If people can see at least some part of your process or workflow, they’ll see how much thought and effort goes into each product or service they buy from you. With a little openness and creativity, those insights can help establish long-lasting relationships built on trust between you and your customers.
Tip 5: Foster Open Communication with Customers
It seems like it seems like a common misconception is that communication is something that happens in just one direction - brand to customer. But in reality, it’s quite the opposite. If there’s one thing to get right, it would be to make it more of a conversation rather than a sermon.
I think there’s often this mistaken belief that businesses need to have all the answers and only communicate when they do. The truth is people would much rather have you say “I don’t know but I’ll check and get back to you” than not hear from you at all. Sometimes the value comes from just acknowledging their questions and offering regular updates on progress made (even if you don’t have the exact answer yet). Although it’s important for businesses to listen with care, it’s equally crucial for customers too.
Communicating expectations from the start helps avoid potential disappointments. I find nothing takes away excitement about a great product quite like feeling let down because things didn’t go as expected. It seems like an important point to note is that feedback can often feel like criticism, but we shouldn’t take it as such. They are signposts for improvement opportunities or possible new features for your business.
Besides, knowing you’re listening and working towards solving issues does wonders for trust-building even if you can’t deliver solutions right away - so keep those communication lines open.