Human-to-human connections are at the heart of sales. People like to buy from people they like and trust.

But, if you don't establish a relationship with someone, liking and trusting them becomes more difficult. A lot of salespeople ruin their chances of success right from the start by not thinking about how they handle their sales calls. When you enhance how you conduct sales interactions, you get greater influence and involvement, which you can use later in the relationship to your advantage. Here’s what I suggest for you to avoid mishaps and instead develop true connections with the prospects you work with by following my three main tips to build rapport.

 

1.     Signals of Good rapport

 

You should know something: Salespeople talk a lot. In this work we enjoy to talk. But the evidence reveals that the most successful salespeople tend to listen more. It's easy to over-listen in sales, waiting to tell them about your product's outstanding features. And there's a purpose for it. What I suggest to you is to first, while talking, your prospect is providing you with information relevant to their purchase decision. That data must be useful. Not taking it in hurts your prospects. Second, people enjoy being heard. So they feel significant. So they feel wanted.

 

What I’m trying to tell you is that You should take into consideration that everyone wants to be self-centered. To earn a commission, as a sales rep, you have to get a prospect to sign a piece of paper and pay over cash. So you focus on that need. But the prospect is concentrated. So you need to understand their demands, since the more you and your product can meet their needs, the more likely they are to engage with you. They may not know exactly what they want so it’s up to you to get inside their heads and figure it out.

 

Also, by creating that connection with a prospect, at the first contact. you have to establish trust before making a proposal (e.g. a closing question) if you want prospects to trust you. The start of your sales discussion is the first area to improve your sales talk. For example, too many salespeople believe a little conversation is done before the big stuff. They'll strive to avoid it since they think it's pointless. Small talk is for small salespeople. By skipping small conversations, you miss the first chance to connect. Talking is about building a social link as well as conveying knowledge. This is phatic communication. That's why asking how someone is doing is vital. You don't need to know. You ask to demonstrate that you actually care.

 

Following that, body language. YOUR body language has to mirror every action. Take note of their emails. Do they send long messages? Do they use a lot of abbreviations and skip bits or are they totally formal and flawless in their grammar? Is there a lot of talk or is it brief? Same with their talk. What do they say? Don't try to imitate them — you'll look weird. But strive to mimic their communication styles. If people want to give information that way, they probably like to receive it, when you start relating to them they start to like talking to you more.

 

Make sure to ALWAYS show respect, and the possibility of it working is high, because hardworking people who value quality work. That's how they see themselves. They are not a cash register on legs. So gain respect without becoming fawning. The more mutual regard there is, the better. That's how strong connections are made.

 

 

 

2.     Signals of bad Rapport

 

Unfortunately, most salesmen enter into sales because they are good talkers. Don't just talk at your prospect, as there's no chance to connect. The best salespeople know how to reverse it. Take an interest in your prospects if you want them to be interested in what you have to offer. You don’t have to be intriguing. BE curious instead. That's how you connect.

Then you focus on your needs. What I do is that I push and talk my way into any conversation I get to the conclusion, a conclusion I want. Just as prospects don't think “I wish I was being talked at,” they don't think “I wish I was being pressed into a sale.” Bullied people do buy. But they don't like it and don't renew.

 

The quickest way is to start talking about how great you, your product, and your company are. No one cares about your achievement. Your honors are irrelevant. Not yet, anyhow. Salespeople do this because they believe they must start “sharing value” straight away. But that seems like bragging, and no one trusts someone who brags. TRUST ME. The less you strive to impress, the better. Don't go overboard when building rapport with someone.

 

You've probably been in a conversation with someone who “jumped the shark” and went too deep too fast. You're just conversing with someone at a party when they start ranting about their ex-girlfriend or asking about your views on religion, politics, and their moms cooking. This does the opposite of what you want: it repels people. Don't think you need to be great friends with your prospects to build trust, it doesn’t work like that. Avoid forcing them to share their deepest ideas and opinions. Just be friendly, not BFFs.

 

3.     What are the strength of building rapport

 

Scripted relationship-building can come out as forced and false. In fact, salespeople typically despise writing, but that's tossing out the baby with the bathwater. We all have unique personalities and styles. Find a few questions and suggestions that will help you create a relationship. Notably, none of these ideas require a lot of time. 60-90 seconds spent on relationship-building can have tremendous commercial benefits.

 

What if you're cold-calling? What if you only have 5 minutes with a prospect? You can't ask them of their personal life!

 

But a simple question can create an emotional bond: “I've heard Toronto is a really cosmopolitan city?” When did you start?” If you don't want to waste time, say "by the way" to interrupt and ask a fast inquiry. “I saw you're hiring a lot of people right now. Is the office getting cramped?” There are many opportunities to create a friendship when you enter a less time-constrained conversation. Say you have a 30-minute sales presentation. One or two minutes can be spent chatting with other attendees: In-person or video encounters allow you to notice your prospect's surroundings. “Where did you obtain that cool painting?” “Does it sound like the office dog? “What is it?” Congratulate your prospect's company on a recent achievement or major move and ask their opinion. It appears your Dallas office has grown. Is the growth bothering you? Ask how they spent a recent big holiday or event (and volunteer how you spent it first to make them more comfortable). “Are you back to work after the 4th of July? Did you get to attend our low-key picnic with our neighbors? As you advance into more complex (and longer) sales cycles, You'll have more time to create relationships. Be careful not to take things for granted and let your ties fade. “How are the wife and kids?” is a cliché, but its substance is vital. You will learn about a prospect’s life if you keep in touch. Take notes and ask questions about them. “We last spoke about preparing your kif for college, how is that going?” It's critical to understand the links between your contacts at a prospect company.

 

Believe me! Let others know about you. Avoid oversharing, yet recognize that reciprocity is essential in human interactions. If you deal with a prospect or customer for months or years, remain professional but yet human. Remember that each of your prospects and customers is a person. Connect with them and a world of opportunities opens up.