How can you build rapport with time-poor prospects?

1 Research your prospects

Before you reach out to a prospect, do some homework and find out as much as you can about them. What are their pain points, goals, challenges, and interests? What are their industry trends, competitors, and opportunities? What are their personal hobbies, passions, and values? Use sources like LinkedIn, Google, social media, industry publications, and referrals to gather relevant and accurate information. This will help you tailor your message, show genuine interest, and avoid wasting their time with irrelevant or outdated pitches.

3 Listen actively

One of the best ways to build rapport with time-poor prospects is to listen actively to what they have to say. Active listening means paying attention, asking open-ended questions, reflecting back what you hear, and summarizing the key points. It also means avoiding interruptions, distractions, assumptions, and judgments. By listening actively, you show your prospects that you care about their needs, opinions, and feelings, and that you want to understand them better. You also gain valuable insights into their situation, motivations, and objections, which can help you tailor your solution and overcome their challenges.

4 Use humor and stories

Humor and stories are powerful tools to build rapport with time-poor prospects, as they can help you break the ice, create a positive mood, and humanize your relationship. Humor can lighten the atmosphere, reduce stress, and increase trust and likability. Stories can capture attention, convey emotions, and illustrate benefits and results. However, you need to be careful and use humor and stories appropriately and sparingly. Don't use humor that is offensive, inappropriate, or sarcastic, and don't use stories that are irrelevant, boring, or self-centered. Use humor and stories that are relevant, tasteful, and engaging, and that resonate with your prospects' needs, goals, and values.

6 Be authentic and consistent

The final tip to build rapport with time-poor prospects is to be authentic and consistent in your interactions. Authenticity means being honest, transparent, and genuine, and not pretending to be someone you're not. Consistency means being reliable, trustworthy, and professional, and not changing your behavior, message, or attitude. By being authentic and consistent, you show your prospects that you are credible, confident, and respectful, and that you have their best interests at heart. You also avoid creating confusion, doubt, or mistrust, which can damage your rapport and your reputation.

7 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?