Are You a Salesperson, a Consultant, or a Trusted Advisor?
Do you believe you are a trusted advisor? Do your customers perceive you as a trusted advisor?
Before you read any further, take a moment to list your current accounts in which you feel you’re a trusted advisor. List the people who rely on you, and your trusted advisor status. How many are there?
When you complete this list, the first thing to do is compare it with your entire customer base. Are you a trusted advisor to more than 20% of your customer base? Take heart, most salespeople and managers are less than 10%.
And let me clarify before we get too deep into this concept —trusted, and trusted advisor are not the same—not even close. The status of being trusted is one small part of being or becoming a trusted advisor.
If you work for a great company, your customer trusts your company. If your products are great, customer trusts your products. The only variable is you.
Do you believe that you are a trusted advisor by your customers? I hope you do. But a bigger question is: What do your customers believe?
It’s not what you think you are. Rather, it’s where does the customer place you in his or her mind? How do they see you? How do they regard you? How do they refer to you? How do they talk about you? How much do they respect you? And how much do they trust you?
Here are the levels of competence you can rise to as a salesperson:
Salesperson
Consultant
Advisor
Strategic advisor
Trusted advisor
Trusted advisor and resource
These are not titles. They’re roles you play, and positions you are regarded as by the customer. If your card says “consultant,” that doesn’t mean you are one. The customer’s perception of you is your reality.
These are the characteristics of a trusted advisor:
•Trusted advisors are value providers, not suppliers or vendors.
•Trusted advisors are liked, believed, respected, and trusted.
•Trusted advisors are valuable information providers.
•Trusted advisors are able to combine trust and valuable information.
•Trusted advisors understanding the situation their customers are in, and they’re willing to risk being
right.
•Trusted advisors are empowered by their customers to act, and they’re willing to take action.
•Trusted advisors help customers profit, not just save money.
•Trusted advisors figure out a way to get more face time.
•Trusted advisors make decisions based on the relationship, not the quarter, or the quota.
•Trusted advisors are always invited in.
These basic characteristics must be combined with your knowledge of the customer, the customer’s business, and how they use, produce, benefit from, and profit from your products and services.
Trusted advisors keep competitors at bay. And they bridge the gap between a satisfied customer and a loyal customer.
Remember the list I asked you to make at the beginning of this lesson? I wonder if you made your list again if you’d still have the same people on the list?
Let me assure you, if you invest the next few months doing things for your customer,you’ll get a clearer idea of what you must do to establish your position, your relationship, and your reputation. 
Jeffrey Gitomer is author of The Little Red Book of Selling and The Little Red Book of Sales Answers.
P | 704.333.1112
E | salesman@gitomer.com