What are some of the skills and tools you use to build trust and rapport with brokers and their networks?

1 Listen actively

One of the most important skills you can use to build trust and rapport with brokers is active listening. Active listening means paying attention to what the broker is saying, asking relevant and open-ended questions, reflecting back their key points, and showing empathy and interest. Active listening helps you understand the broker's needs, goals, challenges, and preferences, and shows that you respect and value their input. It also helps you avoid misunderstandings, conflicts, and missed opportunities.

2 Provide value

Another skill you can use to build trust and rapport with brokers is providing value. Providing value means offering useful information, insights, solutions, or resources that can help the broker achieve their objectives or solve their problems. Providing value can also mean sharing your expertise, experience, or network with the broker, or giving them feedback, recognition, or referrals. Providing value helps you demonstrate your competence, credibility, and generosity, and shows that you care about the broker's success and satisfaction.

3 Communicate clearly

A third skill you can use to build trust and rapport with brokers is clear communication. Clear communication means expressing your ideas, expectations, and feedback in a concise, coherent, and respectful way. Clear communication also means using appropriate language, tone, and channels for your audience and purpose. Clear communication helps you avoid confusion, ambiguity, and errors, and shows that you are professional, confident, and reliable.

4 Use tools

To build trust and rapport with brokers and their networks, you can use tools such as CRM software, social media, and video conferencing. CRM software can help you track and manage your contacts, leads, and referrals, while social media can help you share content, join relevant groups, and comment on posts. Video conferencing is a great way to communicate with brokers in a more personal and visual way. It can help you conduct meetings or presentations, show your face and body language, and create a stronger connection.

5 Align values

A final skill you can use to build trust and rapport with brokers is aligning values. Aligning values means finding common ground, shared interests, or mutual benefits with the broker and their network. Aligning values also means communicating your own values, mission, or vision, and showing how they relate to the broker's values, mission, or vision. Aligning values helps you create a deeper bond, a sense of belonging, and a long-term relationship with the broker and their network.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?