People buy from people they trust. They trust people they like. Getting people to like you is a large part of building that trust. It’s all one big cycle. But how do you kick off this cycle of trust?

The process of getting people to like you is called building rapport. Rapport is built  on finding common interests. If there are common interests in one area of life, the buyer may see possibility in other areas too such as purchasing your goods or services. If there is a connection,  a sense of familiarity, and if the buyer perceives the seller has common interests, rapport is the  doorway to the sale.

Building rapport doesn’t come easy. Often  you’re at a loss of words when striking up a conversation. Luckily there are  rules of thumb for rapport building. But it should be pointed out that this is about fostering relationships, not qualifying (where you try to discern if they are in the market for what you sell). The task here is to build a relationship, not jump into pitching. Let’s check if the soup is hot, before pouring a bowl.

Consider the following:

1. Find Common Ground – Have you ever traveled to a place where you don’t know a soul and then you bump into somebody from your hometown? You immediately feel the connection don’t you? With this in mind let’s see if we can do something similar with strangers. If you’re visiting someone in their office, take special note of the decorations: awards, photos, art, teams and diplomas. Successful people commonly display their successes. See if you have anything in common and ask about it: Oh I see you went to SIU, when’s the last time you visited? Oh did you see the game last night, can you believe how it ended? The key thing to note is that most people love to talk about themselves. Leverage on that.

2. Be Empathic – Let’s say you’re calling them on the phone. Get to the point immediately on the call, but you can still connect by noting something personal: I know it’s early in the morning, it’s sure rainy outside isn’t it, I know the weekend is almost here, I know it’s lunch time, etc.. All of these add a human element and if you can get them to chuckle a bit, all the better.

3. Use Mirroring – This is where you adjust your own body language (and mannerisms) so that you reflect that of the person you’re talking too. Have you ever met someone who talks quickly or speaks slowly? When mirroring, you do exactly what they’re doing because it makes them more comfortable. If they are short and gruff acknowledge it “I can tell you’re busy, could you pick a better time to for me to call?”

4. Leave a Good First Impression – How many times have you heard the cliché “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover”? It gets repeated because people do it all the time. This is true both in person and on the phone. When calling be rehearsed yet natural. Smile when calling (it seems silly but the quality of your voice changes, same is true when you stand), ask open ended questions (don’t box people in), be sincere. If you’re meeting them in person, make sure you’re dressed appropriately, not overdressed nor underdressed. Wearing a suit to visit a manager whose been at a dirty work-site is poor form. A good rule of thumb is to dress just a little bit better. And don’t forget to: shake hands firmly, look them in the eye, and smile.

5. Schedule an Appointment – Once rapport is built you need to capitalize on your success. Don’t leave the meeting without a follow-up appointment set within the next two weeks. It’s so much easier to do it now, then to play phone tag later. Each step in sales should be an advance towards the close, no matter how small, always be advancing, moving closer to winning the deal. This kind of perseverance makes all the difference.

Building rapport is based on listening and paying attention to details. Understanding where people are from. Their mood, mannerisms and pace of speech all provide insight to who they are. If you can understand who they are, you are more likely to understand their pains and desires. With that knowledge you can favorably frame your presentation and demonstration. Building rapport kicks that off.

Again, building rapport is just one step in the process of sales. To learn about the other steps in the sales sign up for the free Infographic “Sales 101 – 6 Simple Steps”.

Does this rapport building article makes sense? Please leave a response in the comments or click on the “Send Voicemail” tab on the website. I’d love to hear from you.