Trusted Advisor vs Product Pusher Traits

I didn’t graduate college. The classroom didn’t teach me this work — being a financial planner did. The clients I’ve served and the challenges I’ve faced gave me the scars and the skills. And along the way, I’ve learned there are 7 habits that separate “someone who sells financial products” from a true trusted advisor. 1. Clear, Confident Communication ↳ Turning complicated strategies into plain English ↳ Making clients feel informed, not overwhelmed 2. Listening Between the Lines ↳ Hearing the fears and goals behind the numbers ↳ Asking the questions no one else thinks to ask 3. Big-Picture Thinking ↳ Connecting today’s decisions to tomorrow’s outcomes ↳ Seeing risks and opportunities others miss 4. Solution-First Approach ↳ Recommending what’s best for the client — not what’s easiest to sell ↳ Building strategies that work in good times and bad 5. Steady Under Pressure ↳ Staying calm when markets shake or life changes ↳ Helping clients avoid emotional money decisions 6. Follow-Through You Can Count On ↳ Doing what you say you’ll do — every time ↳ Staying proactive so clients aren’t chasing you for updates 7. Commitment to Keep Learning ↳ Staying ahead of tax, market, and industry changes ↳ Bringing fresh ideas and strategies to every conversation These are the habits that build trust, loyalty, and lasting client relationships. The best part? You don’t need a degree to have them — you need discipline, curiosity, and a commitment to doing the work. Which of these habits do you think matters most in a trusted advisor?

💬 When I launched Truv, I thought I needed “slick sales guys” who could “sell ice to Eskimos.” I was wrong. The best salespeople? They listen more than they talk.  The best salespeople are advisors. What I learned: 🔑 Trust drives sales Advisors build trust by understanding customer needs. By asking questions. By being empathetic. Aggressive tactics erode trust. 👂 Listening > talking Listening/asking is what uncovers pain. Pain uncovers needs. Needs lead to relevant solutions. And that drives sales. This rewired how I think about hiring. 📈 Advising > pitching When the best sales reps talk, they make it count. They add value right there, before any money changes hands. People sense that authenticity, and feel more comfortable buying. ***** As a product founder, I had a vision of what salespeople did, what they looked like, and how they behaved. My world view was backwards. Don't be like me. Hire advisors, not pitch slingers.

What is "trust" in sales? "Be a trusted advisor" "People buy from people they trust" Our profession holds a trust level about equal to fortune tellers, so how do you do that? In my experience, it boils down to strong execution in the following areas: 1. Deep domain expertise that exceeds them 2. Ability to provide insight backed by objective data 3. Thoughtful questioning that surfaces unknown problems 4. Proven solutions that solve known problems for people like them 5. Actually care, I mean, really care, about the problem you are there to solve Things that erode trust as fast as a fortune teller asking if you have a history of trauma in your family... 1. Surface problems that apply to everyone (I bet you need more pipeline) 2. Insight that is equal to a marketing slide that applies to everyone 3. Questions that scratch the surface without any second level 4. Nascar slides that have zero relevance to people like me 5. Rushed solution presentations that are disconnected 6. No, or bad, follow-up that doesn't connect any dots If you want to build real trust you need to foster real connection You do that through real understanding, and by breaking down the barriers of distrust that everyone naturally holds for you. If you haven't done those things, you haven't yet created an environment someone is comfortable buying in. People can feel when you are just going through the motions People can feel that you don't really care about the problem you solve People can feel that your goal is to sell something, not help with something You want to create more environments that people want to buy in? Spend the time right here... What did I miss? How do you build trust in our profession and break through the wall of mistrust?

Remember when I told you about becoming the go-to person, the confidant, the trusted advisor? Well, below I've listed a few ways to make that happen. . . First things first, it's not about the suit or the fancy jargon. It's about knowing your stuff. I mean, know it like the back of your hand. Be the encyclopedia of your product or service. When you talk, you want them nodding along, thinking, "This person knows their game." 💼 . . Secondly, relationships matter. It's not just a handshake; it's about genuinely connecting. Show interest in what makes them tick. Know their challenges, their goals. When you speak, it's not just a pitch; it's a conversation tailored to their needs. 🤝 . . Also, — be proactive. Don't wait for them to come to you. Anticipate their questions, their concerns. Offer solutions before they ask. That's how you go from a sales rep to an invaluable advisor. 🚀 . . But here's the real kicker—authenticity. Be yourself. Be genuine, be honest, and if you don't know something, tell them you will get them the right answer, not the quick answer. . . Finally, confidence is key. Believe in what you're selling, in yourself. When you exude confidence, it's contagious. They'll have confidence in you and what you're offering. 💪 . . Becoming a trusted advisor isn't a one-time thing. It's a mindset, a way of doing business. It takes time, effort, and sincerity. Treat people the way THEY want to be treated and you will always win. . . Got any questions? Let me know. Cheers to becoming that trusted advisor! 

I had Nick Glimsdahl on the Negotiate Anything Podcast and we were talking about skepticism in the world of business and sales. The conclusion we came to was that since many of us feel like we are constantly being marketed to, we shut down much faster when we sense this happening. This is a frequent occurrence for those in the sales industry. Potential clients start to feel like the only reason you are being friendly is so that you can sell them something. So how do we overcome this skepticism? By breaking predictable patterns. So, here’s an example: Let’s say in a typical sales interaction, you would begin by offering some free advice or asking them about some problem they are having. There’s a high likelihood that many of the people you speak with will assume that you are only offering to help them as a tactic to eventually persuade them to purchase something. This only increases their skepticism and blocks their willingness to listen to what you have to say. In this case, the predictable behavior would be doing just that. Simply asking questions with the goal of turning the conversation towards a sales pitch. So here is something you can do instead. Be genuinely generous, not strategically generous. Create goodwill in the relationship by helping people without expecting something in return. Then, follow your genuine curiosity with authentic advice. One thing Nick likes to say in situations like this is: “Regardless of which company you decide to go with, [Product X]  would be a good decision because of….” It’s the consultative sales process that helps you to be seen as a trusted advisor. Once they realize that you are offering advice without the expectation of anything in return, it makes them more likely to trust you. Ironically, this increases your odds of securing them as a client, in the moment or at some point in the future. #Negotiation #Sales #Business