Turrisi & Associates

Black Belt at Sales & Strategic 

Networking Academy

Chapter 4 

"The Four Strategies-Building Trust & Rapport with Your Prospect"
 Introduction
 Building rapport and trust with your prospect is one of the most crucial building blocks when moving a prospect to a client relationship. 
 

Relationships can be developed with your prospect when you put in the effort to build a process that is objective, measurable, quantifiable, and repeatable. 
 The Four Strategies 

n this post I will share with you are designed for you to build trust and rapport while you maintain control of the early stages of your prospect visit or call. 

Oddly enough while you are truly in control, the prospect at subtle levels feels they are in control. The secret is in how these strategies are designed and used.
 

Here are the four strategies you can use to build trust & rapport with your prospect while staying in control. It is important you use these four strategies in the same sequential order you see here.

Strategy One

Say what you mean and mean what you say.
Commentary:You have heard the old expression you don't have a second chance to make a first impression.
 

This rule is never to be broken. Keep this rule in mind as you review the four strategy 

Strategy Two

Thank the prospect for inviting you to visit with them.
 

Commentary:This strategy places the prospect in a psychosocial position of strength. They are the host and you the guest. And, as the host the prospect is in the power position. Or, so it would seem.
 

By you saying “thank you for inviting me in today” you have placed the prospect in the host position. So, who is in control, you are.
 

Your Script:Thank you for inviting me in today.

Strategy Three

Ask the prospect how much time they have set aside for the meeting. 
Commentary:When you ask your prospect how much time they have set aside for the meeting, you again are putting the prospect in the controlling position. The prospect is establishing the allocation of time.
 Your Script How much time have you set aside for our meeting today?
 The prospect says, I have about forty-five minutes for the meeting.
 Your Script: Lets see, it is 10:15. I will be sure to leave by 11:00 am.
 Additional Commentary:When the prospect shares the allocation of time with you and you comply by saying, I will be sure to leave by 11:00, again you have placed the prospect in the controlling position. 

Since you are taking the prospect through these four strategies you are in control. And you can now pace yourself. 

A word of caution do not race through you sales process so it fits in the time allocated for the meeting. 

Remember you are with the prospect for only one first purpose. To qualify or disqualify the opportunity. If you follow this process, you will be invited back.
                                              Strategy Four 

Ask the prospect what they would like to cover during the meeting.

Commentary: The previous time step where you asked the prospect how much time they had available not only lets you know how much time you have to work with, it also sets the stage for the agenda for the meeting. 

Your Script: Since we have forty-five minutes for our meeting I want to stay focused on what is important to you.
 

Lets say , it is forty five minutes later and I am leaving, what would you like to have accomplished.

Additional Commentary: At this point the prospect has set the agenda which again puts them in a psychosocial position of strength. 

This is a very important step. The prospect will give you a couple of agenda items.You are in a powerful position to now qualify or disqualify this prospect opportunity.
 

You want to know why they picked those agenda items. It is very important to of course understand what the prospect has said.

t is more important to understand why they share those agenda items.
 

Your Script So you want to have me address x agenda item y agenda items.
 

Before we begin, of all the things you want to talk about ,why these?  You now will begin to understand the WHY, or what is motivatung your prospect.
 

Commentary:What is not visible to the prospect is how you guided them through a process that builds trust and also gives you the opportunity to qualify or disqualify.
 

More to come in Chapter 5 

The Bull Eye Qualification Process"