Today, I’m honored to have Robin Dreeke join us on the Systematic Selling Podcast.
Robin is a veteran Marine, former chief of the FBI Counterintelligence Behavioral Analysis Program, and bestselling author of three books, including The Code of Trust, An American Counterintelligence Expert's Five Rules to Lead and Succeed.
Reading this book inspired me to reach out to Robin to come on the show.
That’s because, in it, he breaks down the systems he developed in the FBI to produce more consistent results in building trust with Russian spies while recruiting them to become informants for the U.S.
The idea behind systems is to create a higher level of consistency and predictability in the responses you elicit from others.
And if Robin could develop effective trust-building systems in the high-stakes game of counterintelligence, couldn’t those same systems be applied to sales?
The answer is Yes.
But what, exactly, are those systems? And how can we apply them to sales?
Robin breaks it all down for us in this wide-ranging conversation on building trust and forging unbreakable alliances.
Have pen and paper handy because you’ll want to take notes on this one or come back to listen to Episode 12 of the Systematic Selling Podcast. 👇
Key Topics Discussed in Episode 12:
Introduction to Robin Dreeke: Discover Robin's fascinating background as an FBI spy recruiter, his main focus on Russian intelligence, and how his career has shaped his understanding of trust.
Transition from FBI to Sales and Leadership: Learn about Robin's journey from the FBI to starting his own company and how the principles of counterintelligence apply to sales and leadership.
The Science of Trust Building: Robin breaks down his approach to trust, emphasizing the importance of understanding others' challenges and aligning your offerings with their needs.
Practical Strategies for Sales: Insights into Robin's four keys of communication to inspire safety and trust, and how these strategies can be applied in sales to improve outcomes and build lasting relationships.
Navigating Challenges and Building Alliances: Discussion on the challenges of building trust, especially in difficult situations, and strategies for creating unbreakable alliances in business and life.
Dreeke's Publications and Contributions: Overview of Robin's books, including The Code of Trust and Sizing People Up, offering listeners resources for deeper learning on trust and relationship building.
15 Action Items for Building Trust in Sales:
Be deeply present without any distractions (focus on another human being)
Communicate with transparency and vulnerability
Foster healthy relationships by demonstrating curiosity towards others and suspending ego
Own your actions and take full accountability for them
Seek to understand others' context, empathize, and build deep empathy
Continually build and maintain relationships through consistent actions
Put in the reps to improve mastery of communication skills
Focus on others by seeking their thoughts and opinions instead of telling them yours.
Talk in terms of their challenges, priorities, and pain points instead of your own.
Be non-judgmentally curious and validating to make people feel seen and heard.
Empower people with choices to give them situational awareness and make them feel safe.
Seek the thoughts and opinions of potential customers to understand their needs and preferences.
Talk about the challenges they are facing, such as specific problems related to their business or personal life that your product or service can solve.
Show genuine curiosity about their experiences, interests, and goals without passing judgment on their choices or beliefs.
Offer them choices when presenting solutions so they have control over the decision-making process.
🎯 The Bottom Line
Robin provides a masterclass on the critical role of trust in sales, emphasizing empathy, understanding, and strategic communication. His unique perspective, rooted in his experiences with the FBI, offers valuable lessons for anyone looking to enhance their sales effectiveness and build stronger, more trusting relationships.
Let us know what you think!
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In the meantime…
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This is where you can learn how to build, fix, and maintain the 10 systems every business needs to produce more consistent, predictable, and—most importantly—profitable sales growth.
I’ll leave you with this:
Always remember…When you fix your systems, you’ll fix your sales.
See you next time!
Sean
About the Host: Sean M. Lyden is the founder and CEO of Lyden Communications LLC, an Orlando, Florida-based sales training and media company for founders looking to systematize their sales and scale their business.
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