Here's what famous trial lawyer Gerry Spence said about credibility: "One can stand as the greatest orator the world has known, possess the quickest mind, employ the cleverest psychology, and have mastered all the technical devices of argument, but if one is not credible one might just as well preach to the pelicans." That is absolutely true. For example, let's say you needed investment advice. You asked two people. The first studied with Warren Buffet and had a very profitable portfolio of his own. The other just got out of California State Prison. Who would you trust more? Duh! Even if the ex-con told you the exact same things as Warren Buffet's advisor, you wouldn't be able to emotionally commit to what he was saying. So basically, credibility means letting your prospect know that you know what you're talking about. Caution: being too aggressive in building your credibility can make you come across as arrogant, which has the opposite effect of building trust. Here are two ways to make sure you're not seen as arrogant:
Present yourself in a calm, organized, and authoritative manner. This being overly emotional or flustered throws your credibility out the window.
Have a third party state your credentials for you. If somebody else introduces you or you use quotes from an outside source, you're not bragging.
Unfortunately, it's never been harder to gain credibility in our society than it is right now. That makes the second point from above especially important. Not only does it prevent a perception of arrogance, but it is the number one technique to get prospects to lower their barriers if they are concerned about an ulterior-motive behind your facts and statistics. To learn more about credibility, contact John Page BCH CI at 435-256-0315 or visit www.lifeworkswest.com.
