Building rapport is fundamental to attracting clients, developing a profitable business, and closing more sales. Of course you must smile, look people directly in the eye, and offer a firm handshake when you confidently say “Hello.” But there’s so much more to building rapport.
The first tip to building rapport is to listen – really listen. Active listening takes a lot of energy and few people practice it routinely. It requires tuning into the message, the vocal qualities, and the underlying emotions or feelings being conveyed by the speaker.
Just for fun, notice the pace with which the speaker talks. Is it fast-paced or slow; steady or sporadic? Do you hear a solid period at the end of a sentence? Or does the individual run on and on and on and on adding idea after idea after idea without pause?
Once you’ve tuned your ears to catch their pace, try matching it. It’s like walking a mile in their moccasins. This technique gives you a leg up on building rapport and developing an authentic bond with prospects that lead to closing more sales.
I’ll be curious to know how you easy or challenging it is to do this exercise. Text, call, or send me a quick note with your results.
