How to Build Rapport

Introduction

Building rapport is the process of establishing a relationship in terms of understanding and support with the other party. Rapport plays a significant role in developing your career, networking event, or during the interview. However, it is worth it to spend time building rapport. Today, we’ll discuss how to build rapport and its significance.

Significance of Building Rapport

Here are some of the reasons why building rapport is good for the growth of your career;

Hiring Managers and Interviewers

It’s important to connect with the interviewers or the recruitment manager during the interview. If you manage to connect with the employer, then it would calm down your nerves and make the interviewer better understand you. You could let the employer know that why this position is important for you and how you’re good for this position.

Developing Connections

Building rapport provides you an opportunity to expand your network. It doesn’t matter whether you meet with people during regular days, networking events, or in the workplace. Those connections would help you to plan your career.

Key Stakeholders

Building rapport with the people you’re working with could make your life a lot easier. You would learn how to treat other people and talk to them. When you do that, then it makes teamwork towards achieving a common goal more interesting and enjoyable.

Inspirational

Developing connect with the like-minded people could guide you to connect with those people that would inspire your work. They would help you to come up with new ideas which you can use to achieve your goals. They could be your mentor in the future.

It’s time to discuss how to build rapport; some of the main points of developing rapport are as follows;

Showing Interest

Everyone has a self-focused nature, at least most of us. If you’re in the sales business, then you should learn about your potential customers before offering them anything. You should provide buyers an opportunity to share their problems, needs, wants, and fears. When you listen to them and make them feel that you’re interested in what they have to say, then they would open up.

Being Amiable

You would receive the same reaction whatever kind of person you’re. The goal of building rapport is to be kind, friendly, and warm. You meet, share a smile, warm handshake, and engage with the person. You should make sure to be authentic. If you’re acting like it, then your viewers would sense immediately.

Many of us have a friend in our company that tries so hard to make a friend and be liked but never works out for him. When over-try it, then it looks suspicious and needy. However, rapport doesn’t look pushy, forced, in-authentic, or over-friendly. It should be natural and flowing.

Your True-self

The formula of building rapport is very simple and is that you should be your true self, be who you’re. When you’re authentic and genuine, go out in the world with a positive attitude and a smile on your face, then the good things would come to your automatically.

Common Ground

People usually are drawn towards those who have similar interests. If you have similar passions, interests, and hobbies, then it becomes easier for you to establish rapport. There could be a number of similarities like sports, TV shows, films, same ages of the children, same city, same schools, or etc. Once you know the similar grounds, then you have something to talk about.

Genuine Compliment

Genuine compliments have no alternatives. You should pass the compliment if you really like their books collection, website, or office. If they have achieved something, then congratulate them with a warm and authentic smile. It’s would go a long way in building rapport.

Adjust the rapport

Some new sellers are very sensitive about business deals and the timing of the meeting. For instance, if they have allocated an hour for the meeting, then don’t spend any time on building rapport and discuss the main agenda. In the end, things don’t work out. However, the type of seller spends a lot of time on establishing rapport and very little on the main agenda of the meeting. The client gets tired of them. Therefore, you should find a balance between rapport building and the main discussion points.

Study Culture

As they say “when in Rome, do as the Romans do.” It means that you should adjust your business approach according to the circumstances, company, or people. It doesn’t mean that you should change yourself to be in the culture; instead, you should know how the culture works and respond accordingly.

For instance, if there’s a part of tie and suit party, and then wear a good dress. If the party is open with jeans, sneakers, or a t-shirt, then you should dress up accordingly.

Listen & Understand

It has become our habit to check notifications of our cell phones while having lunch or dinner with friends and family. When you’re building rapport, then avoid all the distractions, and your focus should be on listening and understanding. It would give the other person respect that they’re worthy of listening.

Openness

Being true and open means that you’re honest about yourself. It would send a positive signal that you’re trustworthy and the same person inside and outside. It makes it easier for you to connect with people and establish rapport.

Conclusion: How to build rapport

After an in-depth study of how to build rapport, we’ve concluded that rapport building plays a significant role in our personal and professional life. If you want o build rapport during the interview or at the workplace, then carefully the abovementioned points and practice them well.