Trust is everything in the customer service industry. It’s not only essential for sellers to be trustworthy; businesses must also strive to build trust with their customers. If you’re unsure on how to create strong customer relationships, tune in to my guest, Martina Hršak, as she shares actionable insights on trust-building skills.

Growing Up in Croatia and Entering the Yachting Industry

• During her youth in Croatia, Martina never imagined herself in the yacht business due to her tendency to get seasick.
• Yet today, she leads MMK Systems, a company that provides the Booking Manager System, the leading software for yacht charter businesses worldwide.

The Importance of Trust in Sales  

• To build a successful business relationship in B2B sales, customers must trust the companies they’re buying from. Martina shares how businesses trust MMK Systems with their critical data, such as personal information and finances.  
• Key factors that can easily destroy trust in any industry include:  
• Misleading statistics or facts  
• Data misuse  
• Conflicts of interest (e.g., mergers or acquisitions within the industry)  


• Businesses that mishandle these factors and fail to build trust with their buyers are unlikely to succeed. 
• Martina discusses how building trust and creating true partnerships can be simple. For example, her team attends 20 boat shows annually and regularly visits clients to foster strong, long-lasting relationships. 

Sales as Advising: Listening Over Selling

• Martina explains MMK Systems’ unique sales approach: they focus on advising rather than hard selling. 
• Her team members are selected not for their sales experience but for their ability to listen, understand client needs, and offer meaningful solutions. She believes listening is a skill that cannot be easily taught and is crucial for building long-term relationships.

“In any sales, trust is important because if clients don’t trust you, they more than likely won’t buy anything from you.” - Martina Hršak. 

Resources

Connect with Martina on

Website

LinkedIn

Email

Sponsorship Offers

1. This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot.

With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales.

2.            This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn.

Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.

3.            This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation.

Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin.

Credits

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Mentioned in this episode:

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

hubpspot.com/marketers

bluemangostudios.com