Written by Silvia Quintanilla, CEO, Industry Gems
[Contributing Author]
Human behavior is a fascinating thing. What makes one sales interaction so successful, and the next one a big disappointment?
Much of it has to do with rapport. The question then becomes, how do you build rapport with a prospect right from the get-go? Remember…
People like to do business with people who are like them.
We’ve heard this before, but this principal became deeply ingrained when I attended a two-day training seminar by Dr. Donald Moine, a veteran Sales Psychologist. He teaches techniques for building trust and rapport.
I’ll start by sharing one of his lessons at the most basic level… How do you shake someone’s hand?
If the statement is true, and people really buy from those who are like them, then you should shake the other person’s hand the same way they are shaking yours – when you reach out, immediately make adjustments to use the same grip and the same style.
Let’s take this to the next level. Say you’re speaking to a new prospect over the phone. Listen closely to the way they speak. Here’s a quick list of the most common things you’ll hear…
- Relaxed and informal speech
- Formal and very businesslike
- Fast paced or slow paced
- Soft speaker or loud speaker
Learn to adapt the way you speak just enough to match your prospect’s style of speaking.
Why is this important? If you naturally speak loud and fast, and your prospect speaks low and slow, there will be an obvious disconnect in your conversation. On the other hand, when you match their speaking style, it creates common ground, and builds rapport! On a subconscious level, your prospect will like you and trust you.
It took me a while to remember to do this in my own conversations, but with practice, it now comes naturally. It has helped me elevate my sales interactions to a whole new level!
What about you… What techniques are you using to build rapport with your prospects?
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