CompaniesIt is imperative that direct selling business owners and independent consultants build rapport with customers, representatives and potential recruits.
What exactly is rapport?
rap•port (noun)
Definition: friendly relationship: an emotional bond or friendly relationship between people based on mutual liking, trust, and a sense that they understand and share each other’s concerns.
Successful business owners build rapport with their sales force every day. They realize that rapport is a vital element in their recipe for business success.
Can direct selling companies teach the importance of rapport to their independent representatives?
I believe the answer is YES.
I suggest the following steps are taken:
1. Explain the importance of rapport, that people buy from people they like and that rapport-building is the process of discovering common interests.
2. Teach by example.
3. Emulate the tone of voice, the cadence of speech, the volume, and the pace of the conversation with others.
4. Seek and find a comfort zone of topics for both you and the potential customer or sponsored representative. Examples are career, hobbies, pets, photography, kids, vacation spots, etc.
5. Have established representatives share examples of role play to encourage new representatives to practice role playing with others
Tags: direct selling, rapport
