Friendly is forgettable. Read it again: friendly is forgettable. Leading your sales calls with friendliness is forgettable at best, and it will kill your deals at worst. I know, tough pill to swallow.
Unfortunately, salespeople got it twisted somewhere down the line. They figured “If I really want to build rapport with my prospects, I must be as friendly as possible — even to the point of groveling.” Of course, they will never say this aloud, but their behavior proves it to be true.
And trust me, this is a fatal mistake.
Sure, the phrases seem innocent enough: “How’s the weather in your neck of the woods?” or “I really like that shirt you’ve got on.”
But to the prospect, these niceties are actually a red flag. No — they are a giant red banner trailing behind the Goodyear blimp that says: “I’m a low-status salesperson, not a peer.”
RELATED: How to Elevate Your Status in B2B Sales
Don’t Be “Just Another Rep”
C-level decision-makers get canned friendliness every day, from countless sales reps, from their vendors, and especially from their employees. It’s brown-nosing. And it stinks! (After all, do you really care how their weather is?)
The friend-zone used to work in B2B sales, but not anymore. Buyers are more discerning. They demand substance and value, right out of the gates. So let’s give it to them.
How? By setting yourself apart as an expert. Experts stand out. Experts are remembered. And experts have something to say that’s actually worth remembering.
FYI: Of course a little friendliness mixed in won’t hurt. But all friendly all the time will get you nowhere fast. It will put you in that dreaded “just another rep” bucket. You can’t afford this if you desire to be a top-performing salesperson.
What is “Rapport” Anyway?
When I say “you have to build rapport,” you automatically think that means building a friendship. That’s actually not what we want in sales. We’re not out here trying to make friends.
Instead, what we want is to make a connection. Relevance and resonance is what we’re after.
Mutual respect builds way more bridges than similar hobbies or interests ever could.
This is true rapport. Now let’s learn how to build true rapport in very practical terms.
How to Connect Like a Pro
To connect like a pro you must position yourself as an expert and a trusted advisor. Here’s are five ways to do exactly that…
Slow Down Your Speech
Low-status salespeople talk a million miles an hour — out of anxiety and out of deference to their superior. Do CEOs or Doctors or leading scientists do this? Not a chance. They often speak slowly and deliberately, knowing they have something worth saying that people want to hear.
So remain conscious of your speech patterns. Talk slowly, from the first seconds of contact all the way through the lifetime of your relationship with the buyer. As you become more confident in this, and as your knowledge of the industry grows, you’ll notice your prospect hanging on your every word. This is where you want to be. This is a winning tactic of the top sales pro.
Transformation-based Thinking
From your first call, get your prospect thinking about results, results, results. Frame the conversation around the transformation that will take place as they use your product or service. This builds rapport, as people desire proximity with those who lift them up. And if you have the solution to my problem, I automatically respect you.
RELATED: Sell the Sizzle — How to Tap Into Primal Emotions in B2B Sales
Share Your Best Insights… for Free
Start dropping gold nuggets of value in the first minutes of your first contact with your prospects. Don’t put your expertise behind a paywall or string them along. Be real and be helpful, from the jump.
Mention something specific, like: “I listened to you on the Growth Unlimited podcast…” But then offer a key takeaway that adds value. “You’re in manufacturing. And hearing you talk about growth got me thinking about how the growth of your industry is set to double in the next ten years due to international tariffs. Are you prepared to capitalize on this?”
And yes, you can come full-force with VALUE right out of the gates. That’s what they want! Decision makers don’t have time for small talk. They don’t have time for anything except that which brings them closer to their goal… which is growing their company in some way.
Now let’s contrast that value-driven opener above with this: “How’s the weather in Denver?” Do you see how it falls flat now? You took a great opportunity to position yourself as an expert authority and squandered it with drivel. Don’t do this!
Set the Energy with Tone and Language
Some will say to mirror your prospect’s energy. But that’s another missed opportunity. Don’t mirror. Rather, YOU set the pace and inspire the prospect to come along.
Energy is contagious — whether it’s low-energy or high energy. And if you mirror your prospect’s energy, there’s a chance the conversation won’t go your way. If you set the energy with the air of confidence, the conversation will go your way no matter what.
Never Grovel
Don’t grovel. Ever. You should sooner walk away from a deal before you lower yourself to groveling. Groveling, or being sickly sweet to the point of utter submission — like a dog showing its belly — sends an obvious signal to your prospect, but it also sends an internal message to yourself that you won’t be able to shake for days. This is what I call a sweaty-palm salesman.
Instead, treat your buyer like they are a peer on a shared mission. They are not a superior you need to impress.
Sales Tip: This same concept goes for how you behave with your manager. There’s no reason to grovel to your manager or director, or anyone. Stop loading your emails with exclamation points…“Will do!” And instead communicate with your words and actions that you are an expert who deserves respect.
Final Words
Authentic rapport-building looks different than what we were taught. We were taught being nice and small talk will get us there. But in the business world, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
So starting today, before you even pick up the phones to dial, remind yourself that you’re worth listening to. You are a well-respected expert in your field. Sit or stand tall. Shoulders squared, chin up, chest out. And speak slowly, with authority and confidence.
Then get your prospect excited about the transformation that’s about to take place. Give them your best value-driven insights without holding anything back. And whatever you do, do not lower your status by groveling.
Follow these simple tips and tricks and you’re sure to make a lasting impression on your prospects and those around you. You’ve got this.
Until next time…
Johnny-Lee Reinoso