The Single Most Important Trait for Salespeople

Rapport is a relationship between two or more parties, especially one of mutual trust, or emotional affinity. Rapport is one of the most important features or characteristics of subconscious communication. It is commonality of perspective: being "in sync" with, or being "on the same wavelength" as the person with whom you are talking.

Rapport in sales is EVERYTHING. Without feeling the respect and trust that comes from rapport, the rest of the conversation and relationship will have little impact. We live in a world where we are hit with thousands of ads per day; the last thing people want is to be sold to.

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In this day and age the average consumer does not have time to shop around. The only reason they won't buy from you is because there was no rapport, and therefore they did not trust you enough to hand over their money or their time.

Let's go ahead now and do a quick test to see where you are on the rapport scale. Answer each question below truthfully with a simple YES or NO. Try not to dwell on the questions, as your first and instinctive response is probably the most accurate!

QUESTION YES/NO

1. Are the majority of people you meet pleased to see you?

2. Do your social groups say they miss you when you are not around?

3. Do you find it easy to communicate with people you have just met?

4. Do people turn to you for help?

5. Do people find you approachable?

6. Do people immediately understand what you say and mean?

7. Do you usually get your own way?

8. Do people willingly do what you ask of them?

9. Do you have a wide and varied circle of friends?

10. Do you have an even wider set of acquaintances?

11. Would you describe yourself as persuasive?

12. Do people readily accept your ideas?

13. Are you able to remove the heat from an argument?

14. At meetings, are you usually invited to contribute your arguments?

15. Do you find it easy to sustain eye contact with someone?

If you answered YES to more than half of these questions, you already have a good, instinctive sense of rapport. If you answered NO to more than half of these questions, you may need a greater conscious awareness of the importance and relevance of rapport in building relationships with people.

Always approach your customers with a mindset of 'what's in it for them', and follow that up by finding out how you can be of service to them, so that they feel like they have bought rather than been sold to.

The Single Most Important Trait for Salespeople

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