It’s a little bit about you – Rapport Building

Should all of the conversation in a sales call be about the prospect or client?

The answer is no.  Too many times we are told to shut up, listen and uncover problems and pain.  This is good advice to a point.  However, there are some good reasons to strategically share information about yourself.  Your time in front of a prospect is usually quite limited.  You want to get as much information that will reveal problems and the pain associated with them.  However, there’s an important step at the beginning of that first call that will determine your success in accomplishing your overall objective.

Rapport building is very important to getting the contact to open up to you.  Remember, you are asking them to reveal shortcomings in their organization or processes.  Unless the pain is extreme, in which case they will talk to virtually anyone on the off chance that they can help, you will be asking your contact to reveal inadequacies of their company, or of them personally. Having a really candid conversation with you could have them feeling a bit vulnerable. Without convincing them of two things about you first, your discovery may not yield the optimum results. These elements are trust and likability.

This is what rapport building is all about. It is getting to the point where your prospect is comfortable telling you what’s wrong without fear of you misusing that information and abusing their trust. You could convey your passion for helping clients solve problems as part of your history. Telling a little about how you have helped someone else by bringing the unique resources at your disposal will help them to establish a better picture of your personal mission.

Likability is perhaps more difficult to cultivate. However, if you are sincere in you interest in the client and attempt to find common ground, you will begin to increase the value of your stock. If you read my earlier post about researching your prospects, you will get some ideas on how you can learn, not only about companies, but also individuals with whom you need to build rapport. Common interest and experiences are great places to start conversations to get to know each other. Noting something that has changed in their career, or personal life, if it is gained from the right sources, can also gain you favor. Info gleaned from a LinkedIn profile would be okay. Your goal is to be attentive, not a stalker.

So take some time to tell your prospects meaningful things about “who you are”. That sounds simple, but to convey who you really are, as opposed to what you do or who you work for is more difficult than you think.

By David Phillips
Connect to me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/davidlphillips