What are the three types of credibility?

If you are going to persuade an audience, you have to first get them to trust you and see you as a credible communicator. Being credible as a speaker means showing your audience you have their best interests at heart, that you are knowledgeable about the subject you are speaking about, and that the evidence you use to support your argument is trustworthy.

Establishing trust with the audience requires a combination of competence and character.

Communication scholar Stephen Lucas says that speaker credibility is affected most by two factors:

• Competence: How the audience views your intelligence, knowledge, and expertise on the subject you are speaking about.
• Character: How the audience views your concern for them, sincerity, and trustworthiness.

Lucas further advises that speakers do the following to establish their credibility:

• Explain to your audience why you are qualified to speak on the topic. Provide your own personal experience with your topic, if relevant. Demonstrate that you have done sufficient research on the topic to speak about it with authority.
• Establish common ground with your audience. Identify with your audience and show them how the case you are making is consistent with their values and beliefs.
• Deliver your speech fluently, expressively, and with confidence. If you speak with conviction and communicate you care about both your speech topic and your audience, you are more likely to be successful.[1]

A major part of coming across as a competent and credible speaker involves putting together a well-crafted speech with effective arguments in favor of your proposition.

Credibility. It’s what every communicator strives for, especially when you’re discussing a crisis situation. And, it’s what many communicators fail to achieve – not through lack of speaking or writing skill, but because they’ve presented the information without demonstrating the Three C’s.

The 3 C’s of Credibility are compassion, confidence, and competence. By making certain your intended audience feels those three come through, you open their minds to actually hearing – and believing – what you have to say.

Well, it is. But you'd be surprised at the subconscious assumptions that humans make based on credibility. This especially affects sales calls and the frequency at which upsells are made, as well accepting payment from customers.

There are three stages to the Credibility Theory: initial, derived, and terminal. Each segment plays an important role in developing trust with the consumer. Let's breakdown each part.

1) Initial Credibility

The first stage of trust is influenced by factors such as branding, website, marketing materials, and reputation searches. This plays heavily into the consideration and decision stages of the buyer's journey. It's part of why having consistent, quality branding is important. Consumers often make decisions on which service company to hire based on the level of credibility they perceive when researching options.

This sets a baseline by which the consumer can compare interactions as you move forward in the sales process. The goal is to maintain or gain credibility throughout the sales call, with the initial credibility as a starting point. The higher your initial credibility is, the easier the sales call, but the expectation is set high.

2) Derived Credibility

The second stage of trust is primarily determined during the sales pitch or consultation. This is where the consumer is deciding whether or not your reputation matches what they perceived based on your initial credibility. If you don't seem knowledgeable or come across as complacent or uncaring, it negatively affects your credibility. This stage is ideal for setting yourself up as the expert in the industry. Advise the customer on how to proceed and explain the services or process to them in a professional manner.

Remember, the goal is to maintain or increase your credibility. This makes the final closing much easier. The customer is comparing their expectations with what you're saying and how you're running the sales call. Be polite, concise, and professional, and live up to the image that your branding has painted.

3) Terminal Credibility

The final stage of trust is developed after the conclusion of the sales call, or the work. This is any credibility you gain or lose after you've ended the primary call. This includes how well you follow up, address customer concerns, perform the work, or fix problems. Doing well in the terminal stage is vital to customer retention and referrals. If you've maintained or gained credibility throughout the process, it's much easier to ask for referrals, positive feedback, or repeat business.

Terminal credibility can take a hit if you make a mistake on the job. But you can regain that credibility or even exceed it if you handle the problem well. For example, let's imagine that a small retaining wall is knocked over during your work. The customer complains, and instead of simply discounting, you return to the property, rebuild the retaining wall and ensure its stability. You've gone above and beyond the customer's expectation and they are more likely to recommend your services.

In the end, it's all about meeting or exceeding customer expectations. High levels of credibility results in higher expectations. It's important to be clear on what the service entails, to manage customer expectations properly. It's also important to live up to the image that you've portrayed. Best of all, when you've done all those things, it's much easier to ask for payment and to find repeat business.

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