Building Trust Methods

How to sell (without feeling salesy): First, understand the Ethical Wealth Formula: (Value First × Trust Building) × Authentic Positioning  ———————————————————  Frequency of Asks × Pressure Tactics This isn't abstract theory. It's practical math: • Increase the numerator: deliver more value, build more trust, position more authentically • Decrease the denominator: reduce frequency of asks, eliminate pressure tactics • Watch revenue soar while your integrity remains intact Ethical doesn't mean unprofitable. It means sustainable. Principle 1: Value-First Monetization The approach that generates $864,000 monthly without a single "hard sell": • Deliver so much value upfront that buying feels like the obvious next step • Create free content so good people say "If this is free, imagine what's paid" • Solve small problems for free, big transformational problems for a fee Give until it feels slightly uncomfortable. Then give a little more. Principle 2: Trust Through Consistency I've never missed weekly content in 3 years, through vacations, illnesses, market crashes. The trust-building machine that works while you sleep: • Show up reliably when competitors disappear during tough times • Do what you promise, when you promise it • Maintain quality across every touchpoint One founder implemented this and saw conversions increase 74% in 30 days, without changing offer or price. Trust isn't built in grand gestures. It's built in boring consistency, most won't maintain. Principle 3: Authentic Positioning The approach that helped me raise prices 300% while increasing sales: • Own your expertise unapologetically, confidence is not arrogance • Speak to specific problems you solve, not vague benefits you provide • Tell detailed stories of transformation instead of listing features You don't need to be perfect to sell effectively. You need to be authentic about how you help. Principle 4: Invitation Vs. Manipulation The ethical alternative to high-pressure tactics: • Invite people when they're ready, don't push when you're ready • Create genuine scarcity (limited capacity) not fake urgency (countdown timers) • Respect "no" as "not now" rather than objection to overcome My most profitable sales sequence has zero countdown timers, zero artificial scarcity, zero pressure. Ethical selling feels like extending help, not hunting prey. — Enjoy this? ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Matt Gray for more. Want to improve your sales strategy? Join our community of 172,000+ subscribers today: https://lnkd.in/eTp4jain

In the West, trust often begins with capability: “Show me what you can do, and I’ll believe in you.” But in Japan, it starts with character: “Let me understand who you are, then I’ll trust what you do.” At monoya, we’ve felt this difference deeply. When we first started engaging with Japanese partners, we expected our portfolio and success stories to do the talking. They didn’t. Meetings were polite but reserved. Decisions moved slowly. Then we shifted gears—less pitching, more listening. We invested in relationships. We showed up consistently. We respected silence and patience. Over time, trust started to build—not because we talked about our work, but because we shared our values. One moment that stands out: a partner told us, “What mattered wasn’t your proposal—it was how you carried yourself.” That stuck with us. In Japan, trust isn’t built in the boardroom—it’s built in the in-between moments: over dinner, during shared silences, through consistent follow-ups. It’s relational, not transactional. For global teams entering Japan, remember: trust here is earned slowly, but it’s rock-solid once it’s there. Have you experienced this cultural shift in trust-building? I’d love to hear your thoughts. #Trust #JapanBusiness #CulturalInsights #monoya #CrossCulturalLeadership

Trust isn't complicated. But most people get it wrong. Let me explain. I analyzed 500+ sales conversations and found something shocking: The highest-performing reps weren't using fancy trust-building techniques. They were using these 3 simple triggers that nobody talks about: 1. Real-time validation 🚫 Not customer logos 🚫 Not case studies 🚫 Not testimonials But showing prospects LIVE: → Who's viewing their content right now → Questions others are asking → Active engagement metrics Result? 73% higher meeting show rates. 2. Reverse referrals Instead of asking for referrals, document exactly: → How others found you → Their specific journey → Their exact results I tested this with 50 prospects: ✅ 41% response rate ✅ 28% meeting rate ✅ 19% close rate 3. Ambient reassurance Small, consistent actions that build trust: → Weekly performance updates → Public progress tracking → Regular capability proof My team's results: ✅ Trust scores up 47% ✅ Sales cycle shortened by 31% ✅ Close rates increased 22% Here's what nobody tells you: Trust isn't built through big gestures. It's built through small, consistent actions that prove you're reliable. I implemented these triggers last quarter: → Pipeline increased 52% → Close rate jumped 31% → Average deal size up 27% I’ve broken down this full framework above so you can study it, save it, and start applying it immediately. Remember: While others focus on complex trust-building strategies, these simple triggers consistently outperform. Ready to transform your trust-building approach? Let's connect. #SalesStrategy #TrustBuilding #B2BSales #GrowthHacking #RevenueLeadership

In which of these 2 scenarios, will a sales rep sell more blenders? a) She nails the demo, flawlessly blending a smoothie in front of potential customers b) Same exact pitch, but when she pours the smoothie, she spills it all over the table Dr. Richard Wiseman conducted this exact study. More people bought the blender when she made an absolute mess. This phenomenon is called the "other shoe effect." The underlying principle: We instinctively know people aren’t perfect. So when someone appears too polished in high-stakes moments—job interviews, pitches, first dates—part of our brain asks: “What are they hiding? When does the other shoe drop?” The longer someone appears flawless, the more suspicious we get. This creates a dangerous cycle: • You try to appear perfect in the first impression • The other person's brain gets increasingly distracted wondering about your hidden flaws • When your imperfection finally shows (and it will), it hits much harder than if you'd acknowledged it upfront I learned this the hard way. When I first wrote Captivate, I tried to sound like an academic. My editor called it out: “This doesn’t sound like you.” So I rewrote the intro to be me, very me in a vulnerable way: “Hi, I’m Vanessa. I’m a recovering awkward person.” That vulnerability built instant trust. By dropping my shoe early, I built trust immediately and let readers know they were in good company. This is also how I introduce myself in conversations, and I have noticed everyone laughs and relaxes when I say it. There are a couple situations where you can actively use this effect: • Job interviews: After sharing your strengths, say "One area I’m still growing in is public speaking—which is why this role excites me." • Investor pitches: After a strong open, confess: "One challenge we’re still working through is [X], and here’s how we’re tackling it." • Team meetings: Proactively raise project risks, then offer a solution. Don’t let others discover it first. Rules to remember: • Choose authentic vulnerabilities, not fake ones • Drop your shoe AFTER establishing competence, not before • Pair vulnerability with accountability - show how you're addressing it Remember: The goal isn't to appear perfect. It's to appear trustworthy. And trustworthy people acknowledge their imperfections before others have to discover them.

In all these years of working with my father, Gautam Modi, I have learnt a lot more from observing his interactions with all the different stakeholders – our customers, the company officials, the finance and insurance teams, and our own employees – than from any management book or lecture. If there is one thing that has got firmly ingrained in my mind, and working style too, it is that ‘Business will happen – if we focus not on Sales, but on building a connect with each person who walks in through our doors.” Key elements to remember: 👉Put aside biases: Every individual deserves genuine attention, regardless of appearance, age or background. 👉Communicate clearly and respectfully: Engage in open dialogue to understand their precise requirements. 👉Listen with empathy: Go beyond the spoken words — understand what truly matters to them. 👉Be patient and informative: Explain features, clarify doubts, and let them absorb information at their own pace. 👉Build trust through transparency: Avoid overselling. Share both strengths and limitations of the product honestly. 👉Follow through with consistency: Even if the sale doesn’t happen today, a follow-up message or call shows care — and keeps the door open. 👉Personalise the experience: Make them feel like more than just a customer — remember their name, preferences, even past interactions. We’ve had customers who, due to budget, timing or other constraints, didn’t purchase a car from us — yet shared that they had the best, most genuine and most comfortable experience interacting with our team. And that makes us feel truly proud. What has been your experience in this regard? Do share. Gautam Modi Group #CustomerOrientation #WorkEthics #Overselling #Empathy #Transparency

A solar salesperson knocked on Bernard’s door. Bernard said, “No, thank you. We don't have money to purchase solar panels.” The salesperson said, “It won't cost you anything because there's a government grant.” Intrigued, Bernard invited the salesperson inside. The promise? Lower electric bills, and it wouldn't cost a dime. Bernard signed one form. The solar panels were installed. Then Bernard received bills from Sunrun. $38,411 or pay monthly for 25 years, totaling $67.129. The point? This is why prospects are skeptical of salespeople. Stories of people being duped color perceptions. Prospects know salespeople cherry-pick stats to prove a point. Facts, logic, and reason don't persuade because prospects know you're biased. Trust is out. Skepticism is in. The way out? Stop persuading. Start building trust. How? 1. Do what you said you were going to do. 2. Lay out the benefits and the drawbacks. 3. If you don't know the answer, say, “I don't know; let me find out.” 4. Don't lie by omission. 5. Put your prospect’s best interests before yours. 6. Slow down. Be calm. 7. Detach from the outcome. No trust. No transaction.

The Pentagon, 2017. The U.S. defense industrial base was stagnant, built to win the Cold War. Legacy prime contractors operated on cost-plus contracts, incentivizing 10-year timelines and billion-dollar overruns. Lockheed's F-35: 17 years, $1.7 trillion lifecycle cost. Boeing's KC-46: 8 years late, $5 billion over. The bottleneck wasn't technology. It was the trust architecture. The DoD trusted process over performance. Anduril's founders saw an arbitrage opportunity: the Pentagon's procurement model was designed for a low clockspeed world. Palmer Luckey: the wild card genius who'd built the future outside the system, solving VR at Oculus before selling to Facebook for $2 billion. Trae Stephens: the inside man. Founders Fund partner who'd served on Trump's Defense transition team, learned how to sell complex software to government buyers at Palantir. Brian Schimpf: the execution engine. Nearly a decade at Palantir, rising from Forward Deployed Engineer to Director. Together, they assembled the credibility to get into decision rooms. While competitors optimized government relations teams, Anduril removed the need for them. They didn't promise a future system; they showed up with a working one funded by their own capital. Legacy primes move in 5-10 years.  Anduril ships in 5-10 months. Everyone credits the tech.  The real disruption was the trust model, built for velocity. The Moat Isn't Tech. It's the Trust Model. Anduril's advantage isn't what they built. It's what they removed: cost-plus contracts that reward delays, requirements cycles that kill urgency, integration nightmares that fragment systems. Competitors can't copy this without gutting their operating assumptions. The switching costs aren't technical. They're existential. They didn't target a massive DoD program first. They found a customer with an urgent problem: U.S. Customs and Border Protection. They deployed their Sentry Tower on a private Texas ranch and proved it worked: 55 arrests, 982 lbs of contraband in 10 weeks. They didn't sell a proposal; they delivered an outcome. Proof had beaten pedigree. When Microsoft stumbled on the Army's $22 billion IVAS program, the Pentagon handed it to Anduril. The lesson extends beyond defense: every industry has trust models waiting to be arbitraged. All industries hide behind process when performance fails. Every NewCo has a choice: inherit that process, or replace it with outcomes. The companies that win won’t just move faster. They’ll re-architect trust itself - not as a promise, but as a product. Take the beach. Earn the fleet. Redraw the map. (Full case study sent to subscribers)

One of the most interesting findings from the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer Report is how people decide who to believe when it comes to brands. 84% trust friends and family. 80% trust customers like themselves. 68% trust customer reviews. And then it drops. 63% for brand employees, 59% for journalists, 58% for CEOs, and 58% for influencers. It’s a clear signal: trust flows horizontally. People rely more on peers and communities than on top-down voices. Gone are the days when a celebrity endorsement or an influencer post could automatically drive purchase. When the same face endorses multiple products, it becomes harder for audiences to know what’s genuine and what’s just transactional. The audience has become smarter. Trust is now the new currency for conversations. Brands that solve for it will stand out. Some are already doing this by building authentic communities, empowering real customers to share their stories, and showing up consistently in ways that feel credible. Trust is slow to build and fast to lose. And in today’s environment, it might just be the most valuable differentiator a brand can have.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗪𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗪𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿? When we talk about solar in India, the conversation usually circles around numbers, gigawatts added, new factories coming up, or how tariffs are dropping. It’s not about how many panels we produce, but how long they deliver power - 10, 15, or 25+ years. At Inox Solar, we decided to address this head-on. From day one of our 3GW manufacturing facility, we established a dedicated reliability lab. This lab is led by Manoj Singh Karmiyal, who earlier built and led a world-class reliability setup at First Solar, alongside our CTO, Mr. Virender Sharma, and a highly talented team. Because reliability is not a checkbox. It is what decides if a solar module will truly perform for 25 years in tough environments. Our labs are designed to: - Test modules against real-world stress like humidity, thermal cycling, and damp heat - Detect failures early and improve product quality - Validate new technologies before scaling up - Build trust with customers and investors These aren’t quick checks. Tests like Humidity Freeze, Thermal Cycling, and Damp Heat take weeks, sometimes months. But they are essential if we want our modules to perform for decades. The #automobilesector already learned this lesson; reliability is now non-negotiable, especially with EVs. Solar must follow the same path if India’s clean energy dream is to be truly sustainable. I also believe that building this ecosystem is part of Make in India. We already have strong environmental chamber manufacturers here. But one gap still exists: load testers are not yet made in India, even though they are critical for simulating wind and snow loads on solar modules. If India wants to lead in solar, we cannot treat reliability as an afterthought. It must be part of our system from day one. Vineet Mittal Viren Doshi Dr. Hitesh Doshi #solarenergy #solarpower #renewableenergy #cleanenergy

I've worked with 28+ high-profile Founders/CEOs that have generated 38 million content views & 350+ booked lead conversations. Here are the 5 most important branding principles we live by: 1/ Branding is association building Your brand is the sum of associations people have in their minds when they think of you. Be strategic with the associations you're embedding into your content. Focus on the decision-maker you're targeting. And craft associations that move them toward saying "yes" to the result you want (winning investment, getting booked for speaking, etc). 2/ Create strategic stepping stones Your content has to move you closer to the outcome you're aiming to drive toward. Think about it like stepping stones - what path (series of touch-points) do you need to take your audience on, so you move closer to your desired outcome. Be aware that some content will work against you, pushing you off that path and into the water. 3/ The quality of your visuals matches your offer quality Low-quality visuals = perceived low-quality offer & low price. The images you post, the video quality, and the assets you create all set an expectation standard. There's a big difference between a Zoom-recorded podcast video and somebody on a 4K studio-recorded podcast. The quality of your visuals matter. 4/ Brand = trust at scale Effective marketing involves translating the trust typically built through the sales process—including your sales assets, results, and credibility—into your content & branding. Your goal is to build the trust that you would 1:1 in the sales process at scale through content. 5/ You have to find a way to make people care A great brand strategy gets people to care about you & your content. This means that you have to be audience-first & story-led. Fundamentally, respect their time and create a 'high value per post.'