Make yours one of the most important skills that every salesperson must have to create a relationship of trust quickly: rapport. Sometimes it happens that one can be with a client in situations in which we find ourselves uncomfortable or uncomfortable, either due to shyness, ignorance of the other person or because we feel out of place. Be that as it may, we can feel and accumulate frustration if these types of situations are repeated because we do not know what to do to solve them.
Think if you ever couldn't understand a person in a conversation and you didn't find the cause of their anger, it may be because you didn't create a communication link or link and you spoke to them in the terms in which that person perceives their world.
By using rapport one creates the complicity and understanding necessary to establish an excellent communication relationship.
What is rapport
Rapport means a relationship of communication or rapport, where a climate of trust and understanding is created. It is the ability to see the other person's point of view and tune in in a subtle but deep way to achieve effective communication.
This ability is an essential element to establish a true communication regardless of the type of person in front of us.
In business it is important to establish this type of relationship since in buying and selling situations, it will be more likely to buy from the one with whom one understands better.
It can be said that rapport is a prerequisite for effective communication and change. The studies that have been carried out on this matter focus mainly on body language, however it can be built in a deeper degree, causing the improvement of the quality of relationships between people.
The rapport process
Rapport techniques include attunement and empathy, so they allow you to enter the world of the other person and be able to observe, capture and experience it. This procedure can be performed both verbally (tone, speed, rhythm, etc. of the voice) as well as non-verbally (respiratory rate, blinking, body posture, etc.).
The process that involves the use of rapport is the following (De la Parra y Madero):
• Observe: it is essential to observe the other person since through it the characteristics that each person will be able to reflect can be identified.
• Matching: it is about matching the other person, reflecting yourself, making similar gestures, in a subtle way.
• Follow: mirror the person for a short time.
• Driving: once a bond of trust is created after having followed the person, it is the moment in which they are going to drive or go towards the pre-set objective.
Creation of rapport
On many occasions, people are in a situation of rapport unconsciously, that is, when they are in a social gathering and are in a relaxed atmosphere, they laugh, it may even seem that they speak with the same style or rhythm.
In some studies on the moment of creation of rapport, it was discovered that people who reached such ability, achieved a similar style in the following aspects:
• The movement.
• The posture.
• The respiratory rate.
• Tone of voice.
• The quality of voice.
• The contents of the conversation (visual, auditory, Kinesthetic).
• Beliefs.
• Values.
• Etc.
The matching or calibration
Sometimes, in a meeting or conversation, one of the parties will have to conform to the style of the other person in order to reach a rapport situation, calling such skill as matching.
When people cannot reach rapport in a natural way, it is necessary that they use certain techniques to generate it. Some of the characteristics that can be observed in people who use rapport in an innate way are:
• They pay attention to the elements that are part of rapport in a natural way.
• They conform to the person with whom they maintain communication and to whom they want to connect, as follows:
- Posture: the position of the body, legs and feet, weight distribution, position of the arms, hands, fingers, etc.
- Expression: the direction of the gaze, eye movements, etc.
- Breathing: rhythm of respiration, origin of respiration (chest, abdomen or stomach).
- Movements: the movement you follow when you speak, whether it be slow or fast, calmer, etc.
- Voice: volume, rhythm, type of words, intonation, etc.
- The linguistic patterns used: either visual, auditory or Kinesthetic.
Tuning
An element that will favor the rapport relationship is tuning. It means respecting the style, status and feelings of others, in a natural way, that is, if someone is concerned, it would be about showing that their concern is being understood.
The latter is related to empathy, in the way in which one is able to understand the concern or joy of another person.
On the other hand, rapport can be seen as an influence, then after adjusting to the situation and tuning in, the influence can be carried out. Some examples of situations to be able to influence rapport may be the following:
• In situations where a person is angry and needs to be helped to calm down.
• In situations where a person is tense or worried.
• Etc.
In the commercial sphere, rapport acquires vital importance, since it is considered a crucial factor that will make the difference between success and failure in most management systems. For this field, it is essential that the systems to be put into practice conform to the philosophy and style of the company.
In addition, to ensure that rapport with customers is created, it is also extremely important that it occurs between managers and other team members as it is essential for everyone to properly handle the comments and criticisms of their superior, or vice versa.
We must also make a special reference to the influence of rapport in negotiations. When the two parties meet and the negotiation begins, there needs to be rapport.
In order to achieve a deep level of understanding, it is necessary to think about the other party's values and above all to respect and tune in to them.
To end
With rapport the doors open, without "rapport" obstacles appear. When people have rapport they always find ways to do business. When there is no rapport, everything is lost in the details.
Start today the practice of how to gain rapport, how to maintain and control it and, most importantly, develop all the skills and potential that you carry within you to achieve your goals. Take advantage now, start here with our private Coaching >>.
