Build Rapport to Sell More

When people feel that they have a lot in common, they are in rapport and tend to like each other. When they like each other they tend to help each other. Of course, if you have the opportunity to discover similar interests between yourself and your customer, that is one way to build rapport. Three other methods are simpler and don’t rely on coincidence:

1. Match your customer’s style. Pay attention to how your customer prefers to communicate and get in step. Does your customer prefer to get right down to business or warm up by engaging in some small talk? What kind of a sense of humor does your customer have? If your customer talks fast and loud, you certainly won’t build rapport by talking slow and soft.

2. Trust builds rapport. Your customers will learn to trust you if you simply do what you say you will. Keep your commitments, call when you say you will, provide information that you’ve promised, etc. Too many salespeople make well intentioned commitments, only to find themselves swept away in the moment, but unable to find time to fulfill them. They may not always lose a sale because of this, but they’re certainly not building the kind of trust that will make that customer anxious to give them referrals. Remember the new golden rule for salespeople: Under promise and over deliver

Another way to build trust in your customers is to demonstrate that you’re interested in their well-being beyond your own profit potential. Know and appreciate your customers’ situation and needs beyond your product. See what you can do to help them meet those needs. Little things like finding information for them or putting them in touch with other suppliers tend to make a big difference.

3. Practice reciprocity. When you treat people in a certain way, they tend to want to treat you in the same way. Regardless of how you feel about separating your business and social lives, you’ll need to find ways to treat your customers as special friends. Again, it’s the little things that make the big difference.