Get clients to trust you, not like you: US print sales expert

Most sales reps make the "fundamental mistake" of wanting to be liked more than trusted, according to an American printing sales expert.

Dave Fellman said trust was more important than likeability because customers had to make "a leap of faith" when accepting a sales person's promises.

"The bottom line is if you can get them to believe your promises, they’ll think seriously about maybe buying from you, but if they cannot, they won't," he said.

The difference between customers and prospects is that the former trust their sales reps while the latter don't, he added.

Fellman will be touring Australia in July-August to conduct a series of day-long sales seminars for the second consecutive year.

It will be Fellman's sixth visit, he said. "Even though I'm based in the US, I am familiar with the Australian market and with the Australian way of doing business."

He will be in Melbourne on 30 July, Brisbane on 31 July and Sydney on 1 August as part of a tour, which is backed by GASAA. Click here for more information.

It comes after the Junior Printing Executives Association of NSW held its annual sales breakfast in May. Click here for all the photos.