Today’s guest, Brian Caffarelli is a partner at STS Consulting who helps his clients grow their revenues and margins through a broad spectrum of sales effectiveness and relationship management strategies. Using a unique combination of his prior sales expertise and the organizational psychology insights he has gained through working at STS Consulting, Brian assists organizations in selling better and more effectively by helping them see the value of putting trust before the sale. In today’s episode, he explains that what makes selling so difficult is the fact that buying is equally difficult, and it’s important to put yourself in the position of the buyer in order to meet them where they are on the buyer journey and best serve their needs. Tuning in, you’ll learn more about the buyer journey, from problem to deal, and come to better understand the trust equation, a concept borrowed from The Trusted Advisor by David Maister, Charles Green, and Robert Galford. Ultimately, what has served Brian in his career was taking the ‘trust before sale’ concept to heart and realizing that it wasn’t about helping the buyer understand him, but rather about helping the buyer understand themselves. This is an insightful conversation full of practical advice and wisdom, so make sure not to miss it!
Key Points From This Episode:
- An introduction to Brian Caffarelli and his career trajectory.
- Brian explains that what makes selling difficult is the fact that buying is equally difficult.
- The value of the ability to guide someone in making an informed and competent decision.
- Hear about the buyer journey and why it is so important to meet them where they are at.
- How conflict can arise when the seller doesn’t take the time to understand the buyer's problem, which is step one on their journey.
- Understanding the partner before the deal and putting trust before the sale.
- The trust equation: earn credibility, demonstrate reliability, create an environment of professional intimacy, and manage out your self-orientation.
- The emotional, affective, or heart-oriented elements of the equation that are most powerful.
- Find out what intimacy means in this context and how to create it.
- Creating intimacy at scale with many different personality types, starting with listening.
- Why part of listening is asking really good, thought-provoking questions.
- Why Brian believes it’s all about helping the buyer understand themselves.
- The important role that showing vulnerability plays in earning the trust of others.
- Learn more about self-orientation and how to go about minimizing it.
- Some practical advice for listeners: think like a buyer, earn their trust, and be their guide.
- One question the buyer should ask the seller: what would you do in my shoes and why?
- Brian describes his proudest career moments; helping sellers realize selling isn’t so bad.
- Hear his number one key to success, which is understanding trust comes before the sale.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Brian Caffarelli on LinkedIn
Strategic Talent Solutions
The Trusted Advisor
Kent Ritter