How to Seize Attention and Build Trust in a Busy World As salespeople, we look for ways to seize attention and build trust. While prospecting and building trust among clients is critical, it’s also one of the most difficult tasks in sales. Ron Tite is the founder and keynote speaker of the Toronto-based agency, Church+State as well as the author of Think Do Say: How to Seize Attention and Build Trust in a Busy, Busy World. Being an executive creative director at a large multinational ad agency, Ron has extensive knowledge about traditional agency marketing, advertising, and design. In addition to that, he’s also an experienced comedian, using that in his own entrepreneurial journey. Ron is also an investor who appreciates the need for sales to do business. The desperate need for attention Salespeople are looking at the ecosystem correctly but are using the wrong tactics to make a breakthrough. They’ve been chasing metrics that don’t deliver to build long term businesses. There are so many thought leaders, evangelists, and LinkedIn lead generators who are going about it in the wrong way. Seeing this drove Ron to eventually build his own agency. With a growing number of salespeople, the sheer number of sales reps and clients are overwhelmed by pitches.. Time Square is a great metaphor. Everybody is in Time Square. Big corporations and companies use traditional means, such as using billboards, to get attention. Meanwhile, there are smaller sellers on the streets that are doing things differently. They are more aggressive, targeted, and their pitch can be customized. These are the people who sell practically everything in Times Square, from ripped off t-shirts to street meat. Every one of them trying to get attention. However,the challenge doesn’t stop there, it continues. Now you’ve got their attention, how do you earn their trust? Salespeople thrive in a busy environment by bringing respectability and credibility. They have to be aggressive and nimble in their sales approach. #SalesManagement Other salespeople are still using the automated messages they used in the 60s when talking to potential clients. They could have customized their message and tailored it but they didn’t. They need to revamp their style with three phrases in mind: based on what you think, based on what you do, and based on what you say. Set yourself apart As a salesperson, the ‘based on what you think’ approach considers the things you firmly believe regardless of what you’re selling. This is important because you aren’t selling a unique product. There are others selling the same product so what you think is what makes you unique. Ask yourself: Do you believe that relationships are the key to success? Do you believe that you should deliver the most value? Do you believe that your role as a salesperson is to connect people with the right opportunities? ‘Based on what you do’ are the things you do to reinforce your beliefs. The last part, ‘based on what you say.’ Salespeople can be hesitant about sharing their products/services with others because they don’t want to come off as “pitch slapping.”It’s important to deliver the right message through their actions and behaviors by talking about what they do in an authentic way and transparent way. Don’t create smoke and mirrors and say nice things just to make a sale. People are sensitive to that approach and they can see it a mile away. Use the following questions as a guide to start your conversation. Who do you do it for?

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