How to Build a Relationship that wins you the sale!

All things being equal, people buy from people they like.  All things being unequal, people still prefer to work with people they like.

 I don’t care what you read in The Challenger or heard on your favorite SDR Podcast, the relationship is vital to sales; always has been and always will.  Human being are incredibly social as a species.  Our ability to identify, correctly, the social hierarchy kept us alive as a species for millions of years and that is not going to change any time soon.  People make decisions on emotion and there is nothing more personal than that gut emotional response to another human.  If they don’t like you, they ain’t buying from you.  Unless you literally have the last iPhone and they promised it to their daughter for her birthday, you are in big trouble.   

Now, that said, the relationship isn’t about being friends (no prospect is going to send you a wedding invitation or a Christmas card) but it is about being trusted.  The more expensive the product the higher that level of trust needs to be.  You don’t have to trust the clerk at the 7 Eleven to buy a bag of chips, but you do have to trust the real estate agent who is helping you get an offer in on a house.  

Build Rapport, Break Resistance.  By building a solid relationship with the prospect and getting them to see you as a trusted advisor or even a peer is going to open the entire process for you as the salesperson.  They will be more willing to share insight into their needs and their business.  They are going to be more willing to bring other people to the call – you ever had that scenario where your influencer wasn’t bringing the decision maker to the call?  Or even worse yet, they just ghost you altogether?  Yeah, that’s because your relationship is weak!   

And guess what, you’re going to need the relationship when it comes to earning the business and closing!  You’re going to have to challenge them.  You’re going to have to push back on their objections, ask them tough questions and get them to make and keep commitments.  This simply cannot be done when the prospect doesn’t respect you.  

So, if relationships are so important to a sales call, how do we build one as strong as possible?  Below are 7  quick tips that will give you the foundation you need to establish trust, respect and, yes, even a relationship with the prospect that will carry you further into a sales process and even win you more sales!

7 Tips To Build A Relationship That Will Win You The Sale

1. Identify commonalities pre call

The 5 basics of rapport prep are: Location, weather, weekend, sports and family.  For those early in their sales career these are easy jumping points that you can use when you meet with a customer.  

You can easily identify these during your pre call prep.  Look where they are located or where they went to school.  Do they have quotes or posts about sports on their Linkedin?  Are they in a part of the country that is cold, or nice this time of year?  

Do a little bit of digging and find something that you want to talk about.  Something that you know you can have a good conversation around and will create common ground between the two of you.  

Pro tip: find a way to compliment them!  If you are talking about where they live, comment on how beautiful it is or how you’d love to go there because you’ve heard wonderful thing about i.  If you’re talking about sports, no matter how much you dislike their team, compliment their season, or a player or a coach.  This isn’t your fantasy league so leave the shit talking aside and find common ground.  

2. Be genuinely interested in the person you are speaking to

There is no point in bringing something up that don’t actually care or know anything about.  If you don’t know about sports, then keep the conversations away from sports.  Treat this person like a person – be kind, genuine and polite to them.  

3. Always enter a conversation like you have something to learn

This was one of my secret sauces, especially in my early selling days; I genuinely enjoyed learning about other people.  A growth mindset can also help us build stronger relationships with our customers and business partners. When we approach conversations with an open and curious attitude, it shows that we are genuinely interested in what they have to say and are willing to learn from them. This can help build trust and rapport, which are essential for building successful, long-lasting relationships in sales.

In the world of sales, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that we have all the answers. But approaching conversations with a growth mindset can help us learn and grow as professionals, better understand and meet the needs of our customers, and build stronger relationships with our colleagues and business partners. So the next time you enter a conversation, remember to approach it with the belief that there is always something new to learn.

4. Make it about them 

Most salespeople make the mistake and think this call is about them, their product and what they can do for the customer.  Get over yourself and leave that ego at home.  I know you want to tell the prospect all about that time you went to their town or about your kids or weekend coming up but this is not about you.  I’ll repeat that – this is NOT ABOUT YOU!  Sales calls are not about giving information, it’s about getting information.  When people talk about themselves, not only does it make release hormones the same way say eating a cake or taking drugs does (it’s true look it up) but it also helps customers process and visualize better.  This is going to come in very handy later when you’re not just building a relationship but trying to sell!

5. Listen!

Effective listening is a crucial skill for sales professionals to master, as it is essential for building strong, long-lasting relationships with customers. When you actively listen to your customers, it shows that you value their needs and concerns, and that you are genuinely interested in helping them find a solution to their problem. This, in turn, helps to build trust and credibility, which are essential for building a successful, mutually beneficial relationship. Additionally, when you listen carefully to the customer, you can better understand their needs and tailor your sales pitch to address their specific requirements, which can lead to increased sales and customer satisfaction. In short, listening is a vital component of building and maintaining strong relationships in the world of sales. 

6. Use “connect questions”

Connect questions are used to move from effortlessly from the intro, rapport section of a call into your discovery.  By asking “connect questions” are getting a sense of the person and the business and how they work together.  These are mostly applicable to B2B but can be a great way to get your customer to open up and share some of their personal motivations.

Some examples of connect questions are:

• X is such an interesting industry, what got you into that space?
• I see you just joined on as Y, what are the top priorities for you out of the gate?
• I saw on your Linkedin you went to school at X but appears you moved out to Y to join this company, that must have been a big change!

7. Camera on.  Look sharp.  

I know some people are going to get up in arms a bit on this one but, according to research, people make judgments about others based on their appearance within the first few seconds of meeting them. This is known as the “halo effect,” and it can influence how we perceive someone’s personality, intelligence, and even their competency. In sales, this can be especially important, as customers are often making decisions about whether or not to trust and do business with you based on your appearance.

Appearance can also play a role in how confident and capable we appear to others. People who are well-groomed and dressed in a professional manner are often perceived as more competent and capable. On the other hand, if we are disheveled or poorly dressed, it can undermine our credibility and make it harder to build trust with potential customers.

So, how can you use your appearance to your advantage in sales? First and foremost, it’s important to present yourself in a professional manner. This means dressing appropriately for the occasion and making sure you are well-groomed. Additionally, consider the power of nonverbal communication and how your body language and facial expressions can impact how you are perceived by others. A confident and approachable demeanor can go a long way in building trust with potential customers.

Appearance may not be the most important factor in sales, but it can definitely play a role in how customers perceive you and whether or not they choose to do business with you. By presenting yourself in a professional manner and using nonverbal communication to your advantage, you can use your looks to build trust and credibility with potential customers.