Coaches Corner: The First Step to Sales Success – Building Rapport

Posted on 15. Apr, 2010 by Natalie in Business Resources, Coaching Corner, Featured, Marketing & Sales

If you are in business, you probably already know a few things about sales.

The sales process generally runs something like this:

Build rapport, inform your customers about the product, deal with concerns or objections and try not to pressure them too much. Let them make the decision and if they walk away, leave them with your contact or information so that they can make the purchase later on (or even better, get permission to contact them at a future date).

The first step of the sales process – building rapport, is often overlooked or done hastily. Being our own biggest fans, we likely jump quickly into informing customers about products.

However, if you invest a little more time into building rapport, you’ll find that your customers come to trust you more, listen more, and be more open about what you have to offer. The rest of the sales process becomes that much easier once someone likes you and trusts you.

What if you are not the type that makes small talk easily? Building rapport needn’t be cheesy. Just be your open, friendly, and helpful self.

One of the best ways to build rapport is by focusing less on what you have to offer, and more on understanding the needs of your customers.

Ask them open-ended questions about their business, listen to where the pain points or motivations are, and find out more about what they are currently doing and where they would like to be.

My parents use to say to me – you have two ears and one mouth for a reason. Listen twice as much as you speak. I hate to admit it, but they are right!

Exciting News: I’m delighted to be offering a one month Entrepreneurs Startup Program on May 1st in conjunction with Felicia Lee, Ghost CEO Advisor.

This will be an online program exclusive to Women Entrepreneurs who want to kick start their business. We’ll take you through every aspect of starting up a business with daily activities to help you take action, fantastic templates and group coaching calls. To register your interest email me