How to Build Trust and Rapport Quickly

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How to Build Trust and Rapport Quickly

Written by John Boe

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Cold Calling That Builds Great Relationships

Most of us dislike putting on our “salesperson persona” when we make cold calls. We think it’s needed, however, because we’ve been trained to make the sale. And yet we’re interacting with a live, breathing person without having any real connection to him or her. It often feels fake, and it often is.

Sometimes the finest solutions are the simplest. Focusing on relationships when making cold calls is one of them. It keeps us genuine, and eliminates our dread of making cold calls. We’re real people talking about real things. We’re interested in the conversation, and it shows.

This artificial role puts a great stress on us, and sabotages our cold calling conversations. When we aren’t genuine, it’s a red flag to the other person that we have a sales agenda. This puts nearly everyone “on guard.” They’ve never met us and are wary of possibly being manipulated.

Have you ever noticed that most cold calls break down the moment we try to “move” things along towards a sale? It’s as if we’re getting ready for battle, and the tension pushes us along.

But the person we’ve called doesn’t know us. The momentum we’re trying to impose puts him or her in a defensive position. They’re protecting themselves from a potential “intruder” who might have a self-serving agenda.

So how can we to shift into something more positive? We begin by focusing on the relationship rather than salesmanship. We call with the anticipation of meeting someone new, and looking forward to a pleasant conversation to find out whether we can be of service. This mindset is subtle but powerfully felt by the other person.

Building relationships humanize our cold calling conversations -- and ourselves. We are less artificial. Cold calling conversations become more natural. And people tend to respond with more warmth and interest.

The point is not to use the “technique of building relationship” to improve sales. That’s having a hidden agenda rather than a relationship. Our goal is to see if we can provide something that will benefit the other person. If it doesn’t, then we prefer not to continue interrupting their day. That’s a real relationship, even if brief.

When we’re being real people treating others as real people, the difference is amazing. Both people are both more at ease. We anticipate talking with someone who may possibly have an interest in what we have to offer. And if they don’t, we’ve enjoyed our time with him or her.

When others feel this relaxed mindset from you, they are much more likely to welcome you into their day. But if you rigidly follow a script or launch into a mini-presentation, then your call is immediately pegged as something initiated primarily for your own gain. And that puts most people into resistance.

Here are 8 keys to building relationships in cold calling:

Focus on the other person’s needs rather than on securing a sale
Surrender to the outcome of your cold call so you can connect with your potential client at a human level
View the human connection as an exciting journey in which you encounter new and interesting people
Speak graciously and naturally as you would with any new acquaintance
Remember it’s about how you come across, not about how many people you call
Allow the conversation to evolve naturally
Invite both of you to decide together whether it’s worth your time to pursue the conversation further
Use phrases that are non-aggressive yet very effective

So try this. Practice shifting your mental focus from salesmanship into a place of relationship. You’ll find that your genuine enjoyment of the conversation rubs off on the other person. They’ll be less defensive and more likely to share with you truthfully.

One of the best ways to build relationship is by using phrases that carry the human element very well. Start out by asking, “Hi, could you help me out for a minute?” The most common response will be, “Sure. What do you need?”

Your next question might be to ask whether they are open to the idea of looking at different ways to, for example, reduce their expenses. Most of the time the reply will be something like, “Well, sure, what kinds of expenses are you talking about?”

Now you are able to open the conversation between the two of you and build an initial relationship. It’s easy and comfortable to continue from there.

When you do this, you’ll experience so much success and satisfaction that it will really change the way you do business. And it will bring sales success beyond your imagination.

If you're working hard, but aren't consistently generating enough sales and getting referrals… chances are it's a matter of trust! Suppose you could incorporate a few simple, yet highly effective ideas into your selling process and substantially increase your bottom line? One of the most critically important and yet frequently overlooked aspects of selling is creating a solid foundation of trust and rapport.

I believe that once you have established trust and rapport with your prospect, you actually have the hard part behind you and can anticipate making the sale. It really doesn't matter how knowledgeable you are about your product line or how many closing techniques you have mastered, unless you earn your prospect's trust and confidence you are not going to make the sale - period! While there is no approach that will work 100% of the time with every prospect, fortunately there are fundamentals you can use that will help you build trust and rapport quickly.

Gain the Competitive Edge
There is absolutely no substitute for a positive first impression. Research clearly indicates that we decide in the first few minutes whether we like someone or not. Yes, we also judge a book by its cover too. In most cases, your prospect's first impression of you will be made over the phone or from a voice message you leave. Therefore, it is always a good idea to focus your intention and organize your thoughts by utilizing a phone script instead of shooting from the hip. Here are some suggestions to help you get off on the right foot. Show up on time and be well prepared. Maintain a well-groomed appearance and dress appropriately for your market. And finally, be upbeat and personable without becoming overly familiar.

Promote Your Credibility
Establish your credentials as an expert in your industry during your initial appointment. When you offer your business card and or company brochure, highlight two or three reasons why you elected to work for your company. Keep your marketing materials looking professional and up-to-date. If you conduct appointments in your office, display your awards and certificates of accomplishment.

Use Active Listening Skills
The quickest way to destroy trust and rapport is to dominate the conversation. Successful salespeople take notes, listen attentively, and avoid the temptation to interrupt, criticize, or argue. To develop and encourage conversation, use open-ended questions to probe the meaning behind your prospect's statements. Occasionally repeat your prospect's words verbatim. By restating their key words or phrases you not only clarify communication, but also build rapport.

Adjust to Your Prospect's Temperament Style
Research indicates people are born into one of four primary temperament styles; aggressive, expressive, passive, or analytical. Each of these four primary temperament styles requires a unique approach and selling strategy. For example, if you are selling to the impatient, aggressive style, they prefer a short warm up and expect a quick, bottom line presentation. While at the other extreme, the cautious, analytical style is slow to warm up and is interested in every detail. Once you learn how to identify each of the four primary styles, you will be able to close more sales in less time by adjusting to your prospect's buying style.

Actions Speak Louder than Words
Our body language reveals our deepest feelings and hidden thoughts to total strangers. Research indicates that in a face-to-face conversation, over 70% of our communication is perceived nonverbally. In addition, nonverbal communication has a much greater impact and higher reliability than the spoken word. Therefore, if your prospect's words are incongruent with their body language gestures, you would be wise to rely on their body language as a more accurate reflection of their true feelings. Be mindful of your own body language gestures and remember to keep them positive by unfolding your arms, uncrossing your legs, nodding your head in agreement, and smiling frequently.

Create trust and rapport quickly by "matching and mirroring" your prospect's body language gestures. Matching and mirroring is an unconscious body language mimicry by which one person tells another they are in agreement. The next time you are at a social event, notice how many people are subconsciously matching one another. Likewise, when people disagree, they subconsciously mismatch their body language gestures. The psychological principle behind matching and mirroring is the fact that people want to do business with salespeople that they believe are similar to them. An effective way to begin matching your prospect is to subtly nod your head in agreement whenever your prospect nods their head, or cross your legs when they cross their legs, etc. By understanding the meaning behind your prospect's body language gestures, you will minimize perceived sales pressure and know when it's appropriate to close the sale.

In today's highly competitive marketplace, your prospects have many options and are looking for a salesperson they know they can trust to work in their best interest. Salespeople who fail to put an emphasis on developing trust and rapport actually do a disservice to their customers and in effect, leave the backdoor open to their competition. In addition to generating new sales, developing strong relationships will keep competitors at arms length and your business on the books!

John Boe
		About the author:
		John Boe is an entertaining speaker with a powerful message and a passion to help salespeople reach their full potential. He has devoted the last two-decades to training and motivating high-performance, successful salespeople. His knowledge has been synthesized into one of the most powerful sales training programs ever created on the subject of peak-performance selling and personal achievement! .