How to Build Rapport and Trust With Prospects Online
As we continue to adjust to the new normal of a hybrid workplace, one of the biggest challenges many organizations face is building rapport with prospects online. In the past, most service professionals relied heavily on face-to-face meetings to build relationships with both prospective and current clients. Whether it was a client outing, a casual lunch, or a more formal business meeting, it is hard to deny the value of such client interactions. To stand out from the competition and succeed in this new virtual era, your service professionals need to know how to build rapport and trust online.
Sebastian Lane Consulting is here to provide guidance and outsourced sales management services designed to help service professionals develop and strengthen relationships with their clients. We understand that the shift to a primarily remote workforce may present some obstacles, but we believe it does not impact your ability to make sales, it just changes the way you do so.
How to Build Rapport
Building rapport, whether it be in-person or virtually, is crucial to the success of your organization. A foundational relationship with your client allows you to truly identify and meet their needs. Keep the following tips in mind when working with clients. While some of these tips only apply to virtual meetings, others are helpful regardless.
1. Don’t only talk business.
Starting or ending meetings with a personal note is an effective way to build connections with your clients, especially in the absence of in-person meetings. Not only does this add a personal feel to your meetings, but it also opens the conversation and may present additional sales or referral opportunities. While asking how your client is doing, they may mention a need or service they had not previously mentioned on any of your calls. Even if these personal touches do not directly lead to sales opportunities, they will help you build rapport.
2. Be on camera when possible.
This may feel like an obvious step for some, but being on camera helps establish or continue the relationship you have built with your client. By being on camera you can:
Pick up non-verbal cues that may be lost on a phone call. As any experienced service professional can attest, body language is often a direct reflection of a client’s true feelings. A camera meeting allows for you to see these non-verbal cues and adjust your pitch based on that feedback.
Eliminate distractions. If both you and your client are on camera, it is less likely either party will try to multitask or be distracted during your meeting.
Present a professional appearance. If you show up to a virtual meeting in the same attire you would wear to an in-person meeting, you communicate to your client that you are taking the meeting just as seriously, even if you are conducting it virtually.
By now we have all likely experienced “camera fatigue” from being on too many calls and it is important to be mindful of that—for both your clients and your service professionals. As we discuss further below, some clients may prefer to talk on the phone rather than through a videoconference. If that is the case, it is best to default to your client’s communication preferences.
3. Adjust to your client’s needs.
Everyone is adapting to their new work environment in their own way and at their own pace. It is important to keep this in mind as you work with both current and prospective clients. Being flexible and accommodating will go a long way to establishing rapport. Whether it be a major change, such as a shift in your client’s service or product needs, or a smaller one, such as how your client prefers to communicate, your willingness to adjust to meet their requests is key to building and maintaining your relationship.
4. Prepare and do your research.
Just because you are not meeting the client in person does not mean you should prepare any differently or less. Have a strong outline in mind to keep the meeting on track. It is easy to run over the meeting time, especially when virtual, but having a structured approach to your call will help make sure you hit on all of the key points while still allowing time for discussion. Your clients want to know their business is just as important and being done with the same level of care and attention as it was previously. Being prepared is a great way to show them that regardless of where the meeting is taking place, you provide exceptional service.
Sebastian Lane Consulting is here to help provide guidance and proven sales management strategies to help you best serve your clients—whether it be virtual, in-person, or in a hybrid environment. Schedule your free initial consultation, call Sebastian Lane Consulting at 443-534-6783 or email us at jesse@sebastianlaneconsulting.com.