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You’ve probably felt that sinking feeling during your first meeting with a potential client -- when they go quiet on you, their body language changes, and you sense a slight discomfort creeping in to their thought process.
It’s the moment when the entire conversation seems to slip away, and no matter how hard you try, the trust you hoped to create seems to dissipate.
Many advisors unknowingly create subtle pressure by feeling the need to prove themselves early in the conversation.
Whether it’s discussing their qualifications, suggesting solutions, or trying to diagnose the client’s problem based on fact-finding.
Your prospect can feel subtle pressure from those traditional behaviors, causing them to put their guard up.
When you feel the need to perform rather than connect, discomfort from your prospect’s perspective begins to creep in.
The result?
Your prospect doesn’t feel 100% heard, they don’t feel totally safe with you, and trust never gets a chance to take root.
Trust can’t grow in an environment of hidden pressure, even if it’s super subtle.
If your prospect feels even the slightest tension or push, their instincts will kick in to protect themselves.
That’s how invisible pressure erodes trust in your first meeting.
Think about it: if your prospect is uncomfortable, do you think they’ll tell you the total truth of what’s on their mind?
Will they feel confident opening up about their deepest concerns?
Of course not.
And if they don’t feel safe with you, they’ll never trust you enough to hire you.
The key to avoiding these hidden triggers and to build real trust, is to remove any pressure from the conversation.
Let go of the need to qualify or convince them of your opinion and perspective, that’s too premature to the process of trust building.
Instead, focus on making them feel safe.
When your prospect feels safe, they’ll naturally let their guard down.
This creates a safe space for them to tell you, their truth.
Here’s how to do it:
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Let them talk first. Ask open-ended questions that encourage them to share their story. For example: “If it’s alright with you, I’d love to hear about what’s brought you to this point.”
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Don’t jump in with a solution. Resist the urge to offer advice at all in the first meeting. Your goal isn’t to fix the problem yet -- it’s to understand it fully.
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Be genuinely curious. Prospects can tell when your curiosity is real and when it’s just a tactic.
When prospects feel a sense of discomfort with you, it’s a sign that something in the conversation isn’t feeling natural.
It could be the pressure to close a sale, the need to showcase expertise, or even the subtle push to keep things moving towards a decision.
But here’s the secret: when you take the pressure off, trust builds naturally.
Your prospect starts to feel you’re someone they can be open with, someone who genuinely cares about their situation, not just playing the sales game to get them as a new paying client.
At its core, trust is about create a deep and emotional connection.
It’s about your prospect feeling that you’re on the same side, that you’re there to guide them without any agenda or expectation.
The moment they sense pressure or discomfort, that connection breaks.
But when they feel understood and safe, trust grows.
To create this trust-based environment, remember these three key principles:
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Let go of your agenda. Shift your mindset from selling to helping. Your prospect will sense this, and it will put them at ease.
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Slow down. Don’t rush through the conversation. Give your prospect time to process, reflect, and share.
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Be present. Focus on truly listening, not just waiting for your turn to speak. When you’re fully present, your prospect will feel it, and trust will naturally follow.
If you’re ready to start building trust more effectively to onboard new clients at a faster pace, order your complimentary books and consultation below.
Related: Why Prospects Hold Back the Truth and What You Can Do About It
Get Ari’s 6 best-selling books for FREE here and you’ll also receive a Complimentary Sales and Lead Generation Consultation (value $995.00). Ari Galper is the world’s number one authority on trust-based selling and is the most sought-after high-net-worth new client acquisition expert for financial advisors. His latest books "Are You Chasing Ghosts", "Trusted Authority" and "Trust In A Split Second" have become instant best-sellers among financial advisors worldwide, get your free books here.