Three Easy Steps to Build Credibility with Cold Prospects

Today, we’re going to dive into three easy steps to build your credibility with cold prospects and immediately position yourself as someone who’s worth listening to. I cover these topics more in-depth in my upcoming book, which is coming out this fall. You can sign up for the waitlist at andrewbarbuto.com and be the first to receive a copy once it comes out.

Building Credibility

One of the most important things I’ve learned to do in first meetings with prospects, even before asking questions, is to build your credibility. This step is essential to earn the right to ask your questions. Here are three steps that have worked for me.

Step 1: Show You’ve Done Your Homework

The first step is to tell your prospects something about themselves that you found out in your research. This demonstrates that you did your homework. For example, you might say, “I saw on your site that you’re heavily invested in AI solutions.”

Step 2: Share Relevant Experience

This leads us to the next step, which is to tell them something about yourself that shows you have relevant experience. Perhaps you’ve been in their shoes or worked with similar clients who have faced similar challenges and had similar goals. For instance, you might say, “Several of my clients in the space are also invested in AI. So far, I’ve seen it be more helpful for achieving operational efficiencies, doing more with less, and saving costs.” The more you can reference similar experiences and even name-drop some clients if possible, the higher your credibility will be in their eyes.

 Every prospect that I’ve spoken to wants to know what their competitors are doing. This shows that you have valuable information that they can learn from.

Step 3: Contextualize Your Questions

The last step you could take to immediately increase your credibility is to dress up your questions with context about your relevant experience. Frame your questions in a way that shows you understand their situation and can offer relevant insights. For instance, you might say, “A lot of my clients have been dealing with client turnover. Is that something you’ve been facing?” or “Many of my clients are looking to grow while keeping costs steady. Is that a goal that you share?”

This approach is a much better way to ask initial questions than simply saying, “Are you facing client turnover?” or “Are you looking to grow?” It shows that you’re asking for a reason. You’re asking about issues that other clients you work with are also facing. Often, similar clients that fall into the same category will be experiencing similar situations because they’re all impacted by the same factors. Not always, but that’s why you’re asking questions and building credibility in the process.

Conclusion: Recap and Next Steps

To recap, three easy steps to build your credibility with prospects are:

1. Tell them something about themselves.

2. Tell them something about yourself from your similar client experience.

3. Dress up your questions with your relevant experience when asking them.

By using these three steps, you should immediately build credibility with your prospect, breaking down their walls and increasing the likelihood that they’re going to engage and answer your questions.

Click this link to learn the script that I use to secure next steps in any meeting within five minutes. Join the waitlist for my upcoming book coming out this fall at andrewbarbuto.com.

And remember, if you’re not helping, you’re not selling.