Ari Galper : Building Trust

This week we explore the life experiences of Ari Galper that led to creating authentic techniques for building trust in business and personal relationships.

The Catalyst

Ari Galper is familiar to me as The World’s #1 Authority on Trust-Based Selling. I have known him for about 20 years and his name is synonymous with direct and information marketing since 2005. 

For those who don’t remember, that was back in the days of dial-up tele-seminars. I recall Ari often being a guest and sometimes leading those conversations. So it is a particular pleasure to invite him on to the show.

It was a sales call with a dream client that shocked Ari to the core and was a catalyst to start a revolution in the world of sales communication.

“This is so ethically wrong it is dehumanizing…
This is not how human beings should be treating each other.”

He has developed a system for re-building trust that has gone on to save marriages and resolve difficult communication issues with teenagers.  

Early Years Experiences

Ari Galper’s life has always been about communication and building trust. It is a theme that has played throughout his journey. His childhood family life was a little troubled. So from an early age, he learned techniques to get what he wanted whilst not antagonizing or causing distress to others.

“I literally had to create what I call ‘trust based language’ that gets your message across without triggering rejection.”

After college Ari went into the Direct Sales industry. Like many others he started at the bottom, door to door knocking, and selling vouchers for car servicing. From there he graduated into selling advertising in Yellow Pages, learning what he called the ‘Pizza Sales Technique’

It is interesting how often Yellow pages pops up in my podcasts. I think it is often overlooked how big and important a starting point it was for many people cutting their teeth and developing sales skills in the 80’s and 90’s.

Ari’s ‘Big Break’ came when he moved into online sales. It was this new industry with internet and website technology that dramatically changed the face of sales for many. Ari was running a sales team for a company that created the technology we now see in Google Analytics. It was one of the first systems that could track and monitor users in real-time. 

The Dream Client

Finding the ‘Dream Client’ is the big goal and Ari thought he had this nailed when he secured a sales call with what looked like his dream client. It was potentially a contract that could double the size of the company. The conference call was set and all of the key people were in the room at the other end of the line. The call could not have gone better. He was building rapport and they were saying all the right words to secure the biggest deal for his company. 

But, as you will discover through our conversation, it is what happened next that shocked Ari to his core. 

“It rocked my world so much, I said to myself I am not going to be subjected to this ever again.“

Consequently, the sale didn’t happen and the deceit that was unveiled affected Ari so strongly he immediately quit his job. 

Ari’s Turning Point

This one experience enabled Ari to recognise that the current sales techniques were broken and had to be improved. That phone call was the catalyst that led him to start his own revolution in the world of sales communication based on trust and authenticity.

It is interesting how many times this has cropped up in recent podcast conversations and how so many in the Sales and Marketing industry are coming to the same conclusion from their own experiences. For Ari it starts with the question…

“How do you build vulnerability with people where they feel comfortable sharing the truth and not playing games with you?”

Within weeks of that sales conversation, Ari began developing a programme for teaching salespeople to communicate effectively. His unique process is called ‘Unlock The Game’. Since it’s early conception, it has evolved to be the foundation of his current career. He says…

“I think people don’t recognise what they are doing. They have been conditioned for years and years with selling behaviour that’s become dysfunctional. It’s my mission to help people break out of this and be successful without sacrificing their soul in the process”

Developing Authentic Communication

Ari’s first conference was held in a small rented room in the back of a Westfield Mall. There were just 10 attendees, but from this he gained his first couple of clients. He went on to do another presentation that was video taped which, in those days was still a new concept. When Ari asked “what do I do with the tape” he was surprised to discover that people would buy it. So he made an accompanying manual and called it “The Mastery Program” which became his core material.

In our conversation he talks about those early days, refining the process and developing tools everyone in business and life need to know. Ari’s techniques are about being fully present with people and lead to building trust between individuals and organizations. Whilst he developed them for business and the sales industry, Ari’s tools have also been used to save marriages and resolve difficult communication issues with teenagers.

“So much of our lives is filled with tension and friction. We have never been taught how to diffuse that friction”

This discussion is a must for anyone who is looking to understand the secrets of communication and building trusting relationships that lead to genuine sales. But it is more than that. As Ari explains, it is about leading an authentic life.

Key Influences

The philosophy Ari uses is based on Aikido martial arts. Essentially this means that when someone comes at you, you don’t resist it. Instead you deflect or diffuse it and re-engage to preserve healthy relationships over time.

Another significant influence comes through the lessons he has learned from his son Toby who was born with Downs Syndrome. He talks fondly about recognising the gifts Toby brings in demonstrating transparency and authenticity. Ari has translated his lessons from Toby to teach others how to be authentic and centred in their business and personal lives.

I hope you enjoy the conversation with Ari Galper as much as I did. If you would like to contact him, his website and social links are available below.

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