5 Steps to Building Rapport

Establishing a business relationship with a new prospect is a lot like walking a tight rope. Every single move you make has consequences.

When you execute it flawlessly, you're in a perfect position for your next move. However, any misstep on your part sends you into recovery mode. Sometimes you're able to bounce back, but other times you fall off and you are out. Sounds an awful lot like sales to me! The early stages of the sales process can be fraught with difficulties but don't have to be.

If you try to proceed in a sale without having rapport with the prospect, the entire process is harder. For instance, if you ask for a registation card before you develop rapport the odds of you getting one go down to a 30% chance. If you have rapport developed and you ask for a card the odds of you getting a card will be 85%.

Everything is easier when rapport is developed from questioning to walking the models, getting a card, making the sale, negotiating, closing and asking for referrals.
How do you develop rapport?

1. Ask good questions. Good open ended questions. Let then talk and tell you their wants and needs.
2. Actively Listen to them and respond.
3. Be sincerely interested in their needs.
4. You need to practice and prepare like everything depends on it - because it does.
5. Don't make the prospect feel like you are "selling" them, sell natural, be yourself as if you were talking to friends.

Your prospect is the ultimate judge of the effectiveness of your rapport building. If you don't advance to the next step, your sales routine needs more fine-tuning. When you advance to that next step, you will know you sales routine is working.

Shirleen Von Hoffmann is President & Builder Consultant of Homebuilders AdvantEdge which specializes in Secret Shopping, Sales Training, Seminars, One-on-One onsite training, coaching, and builder consultation. Learn more by visiting Shirleen's profile.