Saturday, October 24, 2009

The 15-Second Method to Win Rapport

So there you are, face to face with a candidate for a sale, or at the very least, a short window of opportunity to win a prospect, and you need to get them with you.
· Establishing rapport can be easier than you think.
It's largely a matter of changing the face-to-face (literally!) view that occurs when you meet someone to a face-by-face view.
A Domestic Example
With a lady-friend in a diner, I often prefer to sit side-by-side on a bench seat so that we have the same view of the diner and get to chat about the things we see in common.
The face-to-face seating arrangement means that she sees the parking lot and I see the kitchen.
A Networking Event Example
For the first 15 seconds of your face-to-face at a networking event, work hard, intensely (but don't show it!) to match your voice tone and gestures to your new-found acquaintance.
· If they speak softly, speak softly.
· If they use their hands to talk, use your hands.
· If they hold the coffee cup in their left hand, do thou likewise.
Their eyes/brain will pick up on these subtle clues and accept you as a like-minded person.
· They sprinkle their conversation with a little Je Ne Sais Quoi?
Well! Toi Aussi!

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