7 Tips to Building Rapport and Creating a Trust Relationship
Regardless of the profession you’re in, the ability to build rapport quickly and authentically is a necessity. Tom Hopkins refers to it as a ‘penalty’ situation – just because you build rapport doesn’t necessarily determine a successful outcome, but not building rapport pretty much guarantees an unsuccessful one.
When I talk rapport, I’m talking about a state that you create with another individual. It involves genuine comfort, an element of likability and the foundation of a trusting relationship. You’re physically in rapport with someone when you find yourself naturally mimicking their movements – be it going to take a sip of your drink at the same time; nodding together or looking down to observe documents simultaneously. If you ever go out people-watching you will see this in spades, from friends on a bus to two people on a first date in a restaurant.
Whenever I do a session on rapport building, I begin with an activity where I have pairs build rapport with each other. Usually, the pairs are successful. When I ask what they did to get there, however, sometimes it can be difficult to explain.
...rapport building is made up of a whole lot of little things, many of which we do without even thinking...
Why? Because rapport building is made up of a whole lot of little things, many of which we do without even thinking. The more conscious you are of these little things, however, the more effectively you can kick start that trust relationship with your prospects, colleagues and acquaintances.
1. Start with Positivity
Positivity is contagious. You should never begin a meeting with a negative comment about the weather, or how tired you’re feeling from a long week. Create positive associations with the meeting and yourself – opening with a genuine compliment or positive observation is going to get you far further in the long run.
2. Smile and Relax
Obvious, and yet smiling is one of the easiest things we can do to build trust. Staying calm and confident tells the other person that they can be at ease with you.
3. Focus on the Other Person
This is not about you. Your focus should be on making the other person feel comfortable – ask them questions about themselves, listen to the answers and be genuinely interested in what they have to say.
4. Mirror and Match
Accommodate their communication style by mimicking their body language, posture and movements. You should also consciously match their tone of voice and energy levels. This can kick-start your physical rapport - of course, be subtle about it!
5. Use Open Body Language
If you mirror the other person effectively, soon you will find yourself in physical rapport. This means they will also be subconsciously mirroring you. So you should slowly move yourself into an open stance, arms apart, palms up. Leaning forward is also a positive sign of interest.
6. Find Common Ground
I can guarantee you that there is no human on this earth that you do not have something in common with. It is your responsibility to find out what that is – the more specific and unique, the better. If you can’t find a similar hobby, interest, opinion or passion, a more superficial commonality will do.
7. Be Observant
It is imperative that you use active listening skills, so that you can respond appropriately to the other person. Observe any major changes to their body language or tone that may indicate it’s time to move on – and know when to start talking business.
Rapport is the first step to a successful sale. More importantly, it's the first step to a successful relationship.
Rapport is the first step to a successful sale. More importantly, it's the first step to a successful relationship. Being more conscious of the little things you do in this process can be the key to success in both professional and personal pursuits. Happy rapport building!
Be Brilliant,
Sonia
This blog post was originally posted on my training website, Statusone.com.au, on November 7, 2016. I have since been moving some of my favourite blog posts from there over to here, as this is now my ‘content hub’ and I want you to have access to some of the cool stuff I’ve written about before. You can still check out the Status One site if you’re interested in corporate training if you want. Also, don’t forget to sign up for the newsletter below for updates and weekly exclusive content.