A good salesperson knows that success starts with making connections, building rapport, and creating a positive space.
Short and irritable prospects make it difficult to have any meaningful conversation and make your job much harder than it needs to be.
Building rapport and making connections doesn't have to take long, and it's well worth the investment. Let's look at some simple techniques that you can use to improve a prospect's mindset so they're more comfortable and open to hearing what you have to offer.
1. Research the Prospect and Their Company
Learning about your prospect and their company only takes a few minutes. Knowing who they are goes a long way in showing that you care about them, you're invested in their business, and you did your homework. It also provides talking points that can personalize your conversation throughout your meeting.
2. Thank Them For Their Time
Time is limited, and your prospects are giving you valuable minutes in their day. Always thank them for setting aside a block of time to chat. This shows that you respect their time and you're grateful that they're sharing it with you. A simple "thank you" can set a positive tone for your entire meeting and create space for meaningful conversation.
3. Ask About Their Day
All humans want to be heard and understood. Asking about your prospect's day shows that you care, creating an opportunity to build connections from the very beginning of your meeting.
Depending on their answer, you can share your own stories and start to build a casual rapport. This creates a conversational flow that's easy to maintain and provides more authentic opportunities to share your products with them.
4. Offer a Sincere Compliment
When researching your prospects, look for ways to compliment them. Express genuine praise at the start of your meeting to show that you've not only done your homework. You also respect their work. Mention their achievements, their website, or their unique business strategies to show that you're interested and impressed by their work.
Although a sincere compliment is one of the best ways to boost a prospect's mood, do so with caution. Flattery and insincere words can quickly sour a conversation and stop a successful meeting in its tracks. Instead, find ways to praise prospects and show that you truly admire their work. Don't overdo it, and make sure you mean what you're saying before you speak.
5. Echo Their Language Style
Observe how your prospect speaks and try to match their pace and conversational style. Talking too quickly can overpower a conversation, and using too formal language can make it difficult to make connections.
Control your volume to match theirs so you're not too loud or soft throughout your meeting. Most importantly, listen and follow their lead so you're in sync throughout the meeting. This technique is especially important for meetings that take place via video or phone.
6. Have an Upbeat and Energetic Tone
A monotone voice does nothing to peak interest or evoke curiosity. In fact, it's easy to drown out and ignore. Your mood will affect your prospects, and positive energy is always contagious. Try to keep things upbeat to keep the conversation flowing. Your energetic tone will be more likely to capture their attention.
When implementing this technique, always be authentic. Prospects can see right through a facade, which can lead to distrust. To avoid this, take a few moments before your meeting begins to ensure you're in a positive headspace.
7. Share Some Positive News
Planting seeds of positivity can make a conversation more fruitful. Share the good news about your business or a personal success story that puts a positive spin on your meeting. This creates a sense of optimism and will likely improve your prospect's mood. It also allows them to share your success and success stories of their own.
According to the National Library of Medicine, sharing positive news with others boosts resilient thinking and builds social connections. So, share your happy news with prospective customers.
Improve Sales With Simple Mood-Boosting Techniques
Good things happen when you're in a good headspace. Luckily, it doesn't take much time to invest in boosting a prospect's mood at the beginning of a meeting.
These seven simple techniques build rapport, create connections, and provide a space that's illuminated with positivity. This paves the way for better conversations and drives success. Try out a few before your next meeting to experience the difference for yourself.
*Editor's Note: This blog has been updated since its original post date.
