If you're working hard, but aren't consistently generating enough sales and
getting referrals, chances are it's a matter of trust. One of the most
critically important and yet frequently overlooked aspects of selling is
creating a solid foundation of trust and rapport.
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Suppose you could incorporate a few simple, yet highly effective ideas
into your selling process and substantially increase your bottom line?
Successful salespeople have a knack for making people feel important.
They understand the value of building trust and rapport early on in the
selling process. For you see, 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.
Once you have established trust and rapport with your prospect, you
actually have the hard part behind you and can anticipate making the sale.
While there is no system that will work 100 percent 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.
Whether you like it or not, people form
impressions about you based on such factors as appearance and attitude. When
it comes to building trust and rapport, there is nothing more important than
making a favorable first impression.
It's important to remember that in most cases, your prospect's first
impression of you will be made over the phone or from a voice message you
leave.
Here are some suggestions to help you create a favorable first
impression:
1. Show up on time and be well prepared.
2. Maintain a well-groomed appearance and dress appropriately for your
market.
3. Be upbeat and personable without becoming overly familiar.
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 want a short warm up and expect a quick, bottom line
presentation. While at the other extreme, the cautious, analytical style
requires a longer warm up period and is interested in every detail.
Each of these four behavioral styles can be easily identified by
observing their body language patterns. Once you learn how to identify each
of the styles, you will be able to close more sales in less time by
adjusting to your prospect's preferred buying style.
Understand Body Language . Body language is a mixture of movement, posture,
and tone of voice. Research indicates that in a face-to-face conversation,
more than 70 percent of our communication is nonverbal.
Our body language reveals our deepest feelings and hidden thoughts to
total strangers. In addition, nonverbal communication has a much greater
impact and 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 and smiling
frequently.
Create harmony 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.
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, you
will minimize perceived sales pressure and know when it is appropriate to
close the sale.
Use Active Listening Skills.
Successful salespeople take notes, listen
attentively and avoid the temptation to interrupt, criticize or argue with
their prospects. It's a good idea to occasionally repeat your prospect's
words verbatim. By occasionally restating your prospect's key words or
phrases you not only clarify communication, but also build rapport.
During the first fifteen minutes or so of the appointment, you should
listen more than you talk. Keep your attention focused on what your prospect
is saying and avoid the temptation to interrupt or dominate the
conversation. The quickest way to destroy trust and rapport is to interrupt
another person. If you do interrupt, minimize the damage by apologizing and
asking them to please continue.
Establish Your Credentials.
It's important for you to establish your
credentials as an expert in your industry early on during your initial
appointment. Hand out your business card and or company brochure, then
mention two or three reasons why you like working in your industry and for
your company.
Make sure your marketing materials look professional and are kept
up-to-date. If you conduct appointments in your office, I recommend you
display your awards and certificates of accomplishment.
Look for Common Ground.
Before you begin your sales presentation or
demonstration, you must first "warm up" your prospect and make them feel
comfortable. A great way to establish common ground during the warm up is to
discuss the weather, sports or a local news story.
If you are meeting your prospect in their home or office, look at
personal items on display such as pictures or awards. People enjoy talking
about their hobbies and past accomplishments. For example, if you notice a
picture of your prospect holding a big fish in their arms, ask them about it
and watch them beam with pride.
In today's highly competitive marketplace, your prospects have many
options and are looking for a salesperson that 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!
About the Author:
John Boe presents a variety of training and motivational programs for
meetings and conventions. With a black belt in body language and a PhD in
people skills, John brings over twenty years of experience as an award
winning sales trainer to the platform. To have John speak at your next
event, visit www.johnboe.com or call 831 375-3668.
October 8, 2004
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