How To Connect with Customers if You’re an Introvert

If you're an introvert, you might find that building rapport with new customers can be a bit challenging at times.

It's not that you don't like talking to people - au contraire, you value relationships just as much as anyone else, but you may find that small talk or conversations are draining, require effort or might make you a little anxious.

While the standard advice to build rapport with customers (smiling, making eye contact, offering a warm greeting) applies to both introverts and extroverts, it's important to remember that you don't have to pretend to be someone you're not.?

Instead, you can focus on playing to your strengths and building relationships in a way that feels natural and comfortable to you.?

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There are plenty of strategies you can use to build rapport and connect with customers in an authentic way if you are an introvert – this month I want to focus on the top 3.

1.Plan:?

Think about potential open-ended questions you can ask customers to start a conversation in different situations, instead of having to think on the spot - this can help you to feel more confident and in control of the conversation. Here are some examples of questions you could ask:

? If you work at a hotel:

• How was your journey to the hotel?
• Have you travelled to this area before?
• - Are there any particular activities or attractions you're hoping to do/visit during your stay??

If you work in a shop:

• What brings you in today?????????
• How was your shopping experience with us today?
• What kind of occasion are you shopping for today?

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If you work at a restaurant

• Do you have any dietary restrictions or food preferences?
• Is there anything special we can do to make your dining experience more enjoyable?
• How has your day been so far?

2. Use your strengths:?

Introverts are often good listeners, so take advantage of this by actively listening to customers after each question you ask.

Give verbal and non-verbal cues to show customers that you are genuinely interested and engaged in the conversation (you can make sounds like ‘uh-huh’, say ‘yes’, ‘right’, ‘I see’ or smile and nod occasionally)

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3. Find common ground:?

Look for commonalities between yourself and your customers, such as shared interests or experiences. This can help you to establish a connection and build rapport more quickly.

It can be a country you both visited, your favourite cuisine or dish, a book you recently read…. the list could go on forever.

As an Italian, whenever my customers mention their experiences with Italy such as their travel plans or trying Italian cuisine, it always makes for a great conversation starter.

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To conclude, you don’t necessarily have to be an extrovert to be successful at rapport building, and definitely don’t fake being an extrovert to try and build connections.

Being authentic is what will help you create long-lasting and meaningful relationships with your customers.

What other tips do you have? Share them in a comment!

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