{"id":57844,"date":"2024-09-10T22:38:34","date_gmt":"2024-09-11T05:38:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newrcblog.wpengine.com\/us\/en\/blog\/?p=57844"},"modified":"2025-03-13T07:18:21","modified_gmt":"2025-03-13T14:18:21","slug":"how-to-establish-and-build-rapport-in-sales-calls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/us\/en\/blog\/how-to-establish-and-build-rapport-in-sales-calls\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Establish and Build Rapport in Sales Calls"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sales calls are an excellent opportunity to lay the groundwork for trust and long-lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with your potential customers. In many ways, that beats making a quick, easy one-off sale.<\/span><\/p>\n

With practice, anyone can learn to forge those connections. How, you wonder? By building rapport. Because that’s the building block for any successful sales relationship.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That’s why knowing how to build rapport is such an essential skill for any rep. In this article, we’ll cover key concepts and proven strategies for connecting with people on a deeper level and how that can help you close more sales.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why Do You Need to Build Rapport on Sales Calls?<\/b><\/h2>\n

You walk into an electronics store to buy a new TV, and a salesperson slides up to you and tries to nudge you into buying a projector instead. But they don’t ask about your needs or try to set a tone. Instead, they immediately begin rattling on about the technical specs of the latest projector and how it beats using a TV.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, picture a different scenario where they say \u201chi\u201d before asking engaging questions about the layout of your living space, your budget, and even how your choice will fit in with your other gadgets. They actively listen and don’t use that irking “sales-like” tone.<\/span><\/p>\n

It’s more likely that both parties will arrive at a common goal in the second situation. Why? Because the rep placed your needs and feelings on a pedestal and looked to establish an authentic connection. Rapport is a harmonious relationship where there’s mutual trust and respect. It’s key to successful<\/span> lead generation<\/span><\/a> marketing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Many reps dial a prospect’s<\/span> phone number<\/span><\/a> and are immediately hit by skepticism that’s almost palpable. Understandable because they’re bombarded by sales pitches every day \u2014 many of them pushy. So, it makes sense that they’re guarded and seemingly uninterested.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you are cold calling, you need to find the balance between building rapport and getting right into the pitch. You are disrupting someone’s day, so you need to work quickly with enthusiasm and confidence.<\/span><\/p>\n

Establishing a connection is like building a bridge over that icy moat. And don’t make the mistake of thinking you only need to build rapport with a key decision-maker. After all, every interaction plays a role (directly or indirectly) in the decision-making process. You never know the allies you’re creating who can advocate for you internally.<\/span><\/p>\n

How to Build Rapport in Your Sales Calls<\/b><\/h2>\n

There’s more to building rapport than making a good first impression.<\/span> Nearly five in ten customers<\/span><\/a> will pay more for a product or service from a brand they trust. But trust can be a long, drawn-out process involving repeated interactions and positive experiences.<\/span><\/p>\n

How do you set the pace from your first sales call so that prospects are leaning towards trusting you by the time you drop the call?<\/span><\/p>\n

Let’s explore some tips you should definitely infuse into your sales calls for maximum rapport-building effect (as well as those you must refrain from doing)<\/span><\/p>\n

The Do’s of Building Rapport in Sales Calls<\/b><\/h3>\n

These tips will help you to build trust and establish credibility with your prospects on your sales calls. Ultimately, they increase your chances of closing deals.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Do Your Homework<\/b><\/h4>\n

Nothing screams “unprepared” than hopping on a sales call and fumbling with basic knowledge of your prospect’s company or industry. That’s guaranteed to lose their trust before you even have a chance to gain it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Instead, you want to conduct detailed research into their company, industry, mission, objectives, targets, customer journey, and challenges. Know who the key decision-makers are. Tools like LinkedIn’s Sales Navigator can help you gather the insights you need.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Trust me, it’s not wasted effort, considering most customers don’t feel understood. That’s why the top sellers invest up to six hours weekly researching their prospects, according to<\/span> Crunchbase<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

2. Do Start With a Warm Greeting<\/b><\/h4>\n

Some reps make the mistake of jumping right into the pitch as soon as the prospect gets on the call. But how do you build rapport by coming across as pushy and impersonal? That only makes the prospect feel like a target.<\/span><\/p>\n

A simple “Hi [Prospect’s name], it’s great to talk to you. I’m [Your name] from [Your company]. I hope you’re having a great day” will help to establish a friendly atmosphere and set the stage for a positive relationship. The important thing to do here is transition into a pitch quickly so you don\u2019t lose your audience.<\/span><\/p>\n

Don’t overdo the chattiness, though, or it will come across as an act. <\/span><\/p>\n

3. Do Ask Open-Ended Questions<\/b><\/h4>\n

Rapport thrives on a sales call when there’s two-way communication, not you just droning on and on with an occasional interjection from the prospect.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Besides, if they’re not sharing, there’s no way you can build a deeper understanding of their pain points and tailor your pitch accordingly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Use the five Ws to side-step a one-sided conversation and involve your prospect: who, what, where, when, and why. “How” questions are also great.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For instance, instead of asking, “Are you satisfied with your team’s current communication tools<\/a>?” you could go, “What communication challenges does your team face when working remotely or across different locations?”<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Do Listen Actively<\/b><\/h4>\n

Sure, you’re on a sales call to communicate the value of your product. But when you’re doing all the talking, you’re missing out on a big opportunity to connect. Active listening is one of the best interpersonal skills and dials back to a previous point about two-way communication.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is active listening anyway? It’s more than just hearing the words your prospect is saying. It involves mutual attentiveness.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Image sourced from Pexels<\/span><\/p>\n

You want to pay rapt attention to their body language. How’s that possible on a call, you wonder. In a physical sales meeting, you’d watch out for non-verbal cues, body movements, and body postures and try to maintain eye contact while listening.<\/span><\/p>\n

On your sales calls, listen for pauses and changes in volume. Focus on their tone of voice and the pace of speech. Are there any pauses and hesitations? Active listening can help you pick up on subtle signals and reveal cues you’d ordinarily miss.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

5. Do Personalize Your Approach<\/b><\/h4>\n

You’ve done your homework, remember? Make that evident so your prospect feels special and can see themselves trusting you and your product. You can’t do that if it looks like you’re reciting a generic sales pitch.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are some tips that can help:<\/span><\/p>\n