Sales Magic
I was speaking with a Merge Left Marketing associate recently and as we were talking, I drummed up a reference from the past about how to build rapport. It was an interesting turn as I hadn’t strongly considered the concepts taught about rapport from one Kerry Johnson in some time…but upon reflection realized again just how powerful Kerry’s keys to rapport were.
Here are a few remembered tips from Kerry’s teachings on Sales Magic that helped me learn long ago that, basically, people matter:
1. Rapport is something that can be learned. Verbal and visual cues can be a powerful contribution to any conversation and are designed to provide a more comfortable, safe environment…and, if you learn the cues well enough, it’ll actually make the sales presentation easier for you and your prospect.
2. There are basically three different types of people. Auditory people relate to things mostly via hearing. You can tell someone is an auditory person because they use words and phrase in their speech like, “Did you hear?” or “I hear what you’re saying.” Visual people (most of us fall into this category) says things like, “Do you see what I’m saying?” or “I see what you mean.” And there are kinesthetic people. This is a feeling person who use emotions to relate. They say things like, “I get a grasp of what you mean,” And “Let me get a better feel for it.”
The key is to understand a person’s preferred method of communication and operate in that zone.
3. Finally, people appreciate themselves. In other words, a good rapport building technique is to speak like the person you are talking to; use the same cadence, tone, and speed of speech that your prospect is using. It may seem odd to you…but to them it is expected and normal. After all, they speak that way, too!
As you deal with prospects in sales or just people in conversation, you can use these insights to better communication. And maybe, just maybe, begin experiencing even more sales magic.