It is sometimes said that our first ten words are more important than our next ten-thousand words. Creating a positive impression is critical to building relationships and establishing credibility. This is true whether we are cold-calling a new prospect or calling on a client we have known for years. For new contacts rapport must include creating trust and credibility. We maintain loyalty with existing clients by continuously adding value. Avoid the obvious approaches used by most salespeople with their first words. Be creative in how you start your communications. Create value for others, even in how you open the sale.
Your first words or action in building sales rapport could be:
Give them a referral
Presenting gifts, like a business book
Give free samples of your product
Bring food like bagels, doughnuts, pizza, etc.
Provide information, advice, or service not directly related to your product
Tell them something they don't already know that is valuable to them
Open with an exhibit or demonstration that captures their interest
Provide something tangible, of value, that will remind them of you
Ask a unique question that requires some thought to answer
Challenge their current reality with a question or statement
Give them a compliment they would not hear from anyone else
Reference something based on your pre-approach research
Use a name of someone they respect, especially a direct referral
Say something startling or intriguing
Have a brief social conversation about something that interests them
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