Efficiency sales professionals know how to create personal connections with their prospects and customers. They know to establish good rapport and to use that rapport as a vehicle for delivering their message.
So, how do you create strong personal connections and build good rapport with your prospects and customers? It all comes down to the conversations you have. A great conversation breaks down social barriers, builds rapport, and allows you to better understand your prospect. Being a good conversationalist will improve your sales performance and help you generate new business.
If you’re interested in learning more about conversation techniques, I highly recommend reading Rainmaking Conversations: Influence, Persuade, and Sell in Any Situation by Mike Schultz and John E. Doerr. This book covers the principles of successful conversation-making and how those principles can guide your sales strategy.
Here’s a summary from Amazon Books:
"Conversations make or break everything in sales. Every conversation you have is an opportunity to find new prospects, win new customers, and increase sales. Rainmaking Conversations provides a proven system for leading masterful conversations that fill the pipeline, secure new deals, and maximize the potential of your account.
“Rainmaking Conversations offers a research-based, field-tested, and practical selling approach that will help you master the art of the sales conversation. This proven system revolves around the acronym RAIN, which stands for Rapport, Aspirations and Afflictions, Impact, and New Reality. You'll learn how to ask your prospects and clients the right questions, and help them set the agenda for success.”
