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rap·port
[ra-pawr, -pohr, ruh-]
–noun
1: relation of trust between people. 2: a feeling of sympathetic understanding [syn: compatibility]. 3: in accord, harmony. 4: having a mutual, especially a private, understanding.
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You’ve probably heard of it every single time you read a sales manual, book or training. They say building rapport with your client creates the bridge to help close deals easier and faster. In every sales training manual or book there are probably a few chapters dedicated to rapport alone. And how do they tell you to build rapport?
- Small talk
- By mentioning something in conversation you and your customer have in common
- Smile
- Eye Contact
- Mirroring
Ask 10 people what rapport is, you will either get 10 different answers or this generic list of actions to use. Why is building rapport so important anyway? By it’s design, rapport building is used to influence behavior by developing some sort of common ground between you (the salesperson) and your client.
Simply, it builds trust.
Well, it’s supposed to.
Many times, automotive sales professionals quickly check off the rapport building and go straight to selling. They rush the process and only focus on the outcome. And your buyer isn’t dumb, they know what’s up. What it likely is, is some lame attempt to get them to like you but it actually comes across as being superfluous and insincere. They know you don’t care about where they got their tie or shirt. They know you don’t care about their screaming kid that’s running around the showroom and putting their greasy paws on the windows. They know you’re kissing their butt to make a sale. In it’s most basic form, building rapport can be manipulative. If people feel like they are being manipulated, every single word you speak, every action you take will be scrutinized and questioned. How’s that trust thing going for ya?
Get the thought of building rapport out of your head.
Instead, Connect
Connecting with your customer requires less, simply put, bullshit. It isn’t fake, manipulative or insincere. Connecting is more professional, and when you act more professional, your credibility increases. Try selling a car without any credibility and let me know how it goes.
How do you build a connection? Here’s how:
Help Them Get What They Want
The best way to connect to your customer is to help them get what they want. My sales manager always told me “you’re not here to sell a car to your customer. You’re here to help your customer buy a car. There’s a big difference. People love to buy, but they hate to be sold.” I’ve heard from many people of how they hate car shopping. And they have valid reasons for it:
Find out what’s important to them (safety, performance, appearance…etc.) and show them how your brand of vehicle stacks up. The customer is interested in your car, help them with the purchase. Who knows? They might want to buy it.
Focus On Their Needs
If your customer wants to buy a vehicle that is safe for their family, what are the chances you’re going to sell them a V8 coupe convertible? They might be looking at it in the showroom drooling, but is it really what they came in for? Figure out what it is they are looking for in a car.
- Who’s driving the vehicle?
- Is it for business or running around town?
- Driving the kids to and from school?
- How many kids?
- Is roominess important?
Make Them Feel Important
Who doesn’t want to feel important? Most everybody wants to feel valued and appreciated. The easiest way to do that is to effectively listen to them. So that means, quit bragging about yourself. Your customers don’t care if you’ve won the salesperson of the month award for the last 2 months. Do you think showing off all your awards is going to help you? The only time showing certificates, awards or diplomas is if you’re an actor, athlete or a professional like a doctor or lawyer. If you’re in neither one of those categories, having those up will tell your customers that getting your next deal is more important to you than helping them buy a car. What is it they need and how are you best able to help them? Be careful that you’re not looking like a door mat, but you should be able to listen to their wants and needs and effectively help them make a decision. What else can you do to make them feel important?
- Thank you cards
- Follow up phone calls just to say thanks for dropping by the dealership
- Birthday cards, holiday cards (Joe Girard did this a lot back in the day.)
- Something simple like offering them a coffee or something to drink
If you look at how some of the most prestigious hotels in the world operate, they are the best at making their guests feel important. I’m not saying you should do things exactly like the hotels do it. They are in the hospitality industry. They are supposed to bend over backwards for their guests, especially the five star hotels. Your job is to move metal. But there’s a lot that you can take away from the hospitality industry.
Unlike connecting, building rapport is a cheesy way to create a relationship. The complexity of rapport makes it difficult for it to succeed in real life situations whereas the only thing you have to do to connect to someone and make them feel important is to just listen. When you do that, you make people feel respected and heard, which goes a long way when you’re building trust and credibility. Most of the time, simpler is better.
