olsen on sales

Rapport builders

Rapport is to selling what downstream is to swimming. Can we swim upstream, sure, but it’s a lot more difficult. When we create rapport with our customers, they are much more likely to listen to us and give our proposal serious consideration even if we don’t agree.

There are many small/simple things we can do to build rapport with our customers. Some of them are “obvious” but obvious or not when we do them we have a competitive advantage because most sellers don’t. Many sellers are so nervous and/or unprepared they can’t concentrate enough to read their customer’s body language and voice tones to get in sync with them. Other sellers just don’t care; they are just there for the order.

Rapport Builders

Smile. Many of us are not natural smilers; I am not, nor are many of my students. I am not talking about a “Bozo the Clown” smile. Just a slight smile is best. As sellers, we need to project the feeling that we enjoy what we do. No one wants to push a bag of rocks up the hill with us, but many sellers treat the sales process as if it were as much fun. Is it tough to smile after 10 NO’s in a row? Yes, but smile we must.

Slow Down! I’ve been coaching sales for over 20 years and never have had to tell a student to speed up their speech. Many of us talk too fast. When we talk too fast, it’s hard for customers to understand and more importantly for rapport, to relate to us. The phrase “fast-talking salesperson” came from somewhere. When we talk too fast it means we’re hiding something, that we don’t care, or both.

Compliments. Most customers will sense false flattery. Don’t do it. Sincere compliments, on the other hand, are powerful. Once we make it a priority opportunities to give compliments abound. Often customers will have pictures of their favorite hobby, adventure or pictures of their family posted in their office.

Humor. Humor is a power tool and, just like all power tools, must be used with care. Humor shows confidence and helps customers relax. Without relaxation rapport is impossible. People want to have fun while they work. Great salespeople help them do that and are rewarded accordingly.

Questions and Follow-up Questions. Most salespeople talk too much. The person asking the questions is the one who is controlling the call, in any case. Master Sellers ask good questions and more importantly, they ask follow up questions. When we ask a single question only and then dive into our proposal, it sends the message that the first question was insincere.

Pace, Tone and Demeanor. We should do all our best to match the pace, tone and demeanor of our customer. If our customer is a taciturn, quiet communicator we should match their style. If they are a little bit more of a joker, we can loosen up with them. Customers will always be more comfortable communicating in their style, so as professional communicators, we match. When in Rome, speak Italian; when in Germany, speak German. Treat each company and customer as their own private country and speak their language.

Body Language. The same as with pace and tone. We match the body language of our customers.

The “We” Mode. If we want our customers to treat us like a partner, we need to speak to them like a partner. Most of us will need to train ourselves to speak in the “We” mode. Asking, “What do we need to be looking for?” vs. “What are you looking for?” makes a huge psychological difference in our communication with our customers.

Caring and Curious. Most sellers are so wrapped up in their own proposal, they don’t have the mind space or the empathy to even think about caring about the customer and projecting that in their speech and tone. Master Sellers treat their customers like family.

A student asked me, “What if I don’t really care?” I said, “Well then you’ll have to become a better person to become a better seller. I did.”

I sold without rapport for seven years. I made a living, but when I started to care about my customers, I had more fun and sold a lot more.

James Olsen

Reality Sales Training (503) 544-3572 james@realitysalestraining.com