Trust and commitment

I had a weird experience today.

I went to buy a car at a dealership. I looked at the small hatchbacks, then I looked at the saloons and estates. I even sat in a sportscar. In the end, I decided I probably wanted a hatchback because it was small and cheap and it did the job.

While I was checking out the plastic interior, a man in jeans and a t-shirt sidled up to me. He said-

"If you pay a bit more, I'll design a car for you."

I asked him what he was on about. He said-

"These are all generic off-the-shelf models. If you pay a bit more, I'll design a car that's custom made to your requirements. It'll have a cupholder made to fit your favourite americano and it'll be perfect for racing Vauxhall Novas off the traffic lights."

"But how do I know I'll like it?" I asked him. He said-

"Its OK, I do this for a living. trust me, you'll like it. If you don't then just pay me half and we'll call it quits."

What? I thought this guy was mental, until I realised he was just a metaphor to explain how creative people come across when selling to consumers.

Think about how creative people try to sell their services. For a potential customer to part with their money, it requires an enormous amount of trust and commitment, whether its an MD paying a design consultancy or a creative director hiring a student.

What's the best way to get commitment? Earn trust.
What's the best way to earn trust? Show commitment.