{"id":725,"date":"2017-05-31T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-05-31T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.autoraptor.com\/blog\/proven-techniques-for-building-rapport-over-the-phone"},"modified":"2017-05-31T09:00:00","modified_gmt":"2017-05-31T13:00:00","slug":"proven-techniques-for-building-rapport-over-the-phone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.autoraptor.com\/blog\/proven-techniques-for-building-rapport-over-the-phone\/","title":{"rendered":"Proven Techniques for Building Rapport Over the Phone"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Utilize these techniques for building rapport over the phone to gain trust with your prospects and get them into the dealership<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Salespeople in the auto industry today have to be more multi-faceted than ever before<\/a>. The sales cycle begins online and ends with a handshake, but all of the communication that takes place in between–emails, phone calls, texting–calls for a deeper and wider set of skills. Every chance you have to communicate with your prospect can do one of two things: propel them into the next step or make them lose interest.<\/p>\n

Building rapport isn\u2019t just about being friendly to make a prospect like you<\/a>. Establishing real rapport with an individual means developing a mutual trust, friendship, and connection\u2014hallmarks of effective communication. Building rapport with a customer you\u2019re meeting with in person is usually the most favorable scenario for an auto salesperson because it\u2019s easier to read body language and engage in casual conversation. Over the phone, though? Making an authentic connection can certainly be a little trickier.<\/p>\n

Stuck when it comes to building rapport over the phone? Sick of the awkward silences and random hang-ups? It can take time and effort to master the art of building rapport over the phone, but there are techniques you can start incorporating today that will help get you on the right track.<\/p>\n

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6 Ways to begin building rapport with dealership prospects on the phone<\/h3>\n

1. Smile\"building<\/strong><\/p>\n

This may seem silly if you aren\u2019t looking directly at the person you\u2019re talking to, but it is possible to tell if someone is smiling while they\u2019re talking to you on the phone. Smiling while you speak will help you maintain a warm, friendly tone as opposed to a forceful, sales-oriented one.<\/p>\n

2. Use their name<\/strong><\/p>\n

Why use a customer\u2019s name in conversation? To quote Dale Carnegie, \u201cA person\u2019s name is to him or her the sweetest and most important sound in any language.\u201d Sales-related calls can seem so impersonal, but one easy way to show you care about the individual on the other end of the line is to address them by name throughout your conversation randomly. It shows you\u2019re engaged with them and not the money you stand to make off of them.<\/p>\n

3. Adapt to the prospect\u2019s \u201cvibe\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Are you generally a loud, exuberant, talkative person? Your energy level could be extremely off-putting if you get on the line with a quieter customer that prefers to speak in shorter sentences. Don\u2019t completely compromise your personality, but be aware of the energy level and communication style of the customer on the other end and adjust your approach accordingly.<\/p>\n

4. Listen\"building<\/strong><\/p>\n

Again, this may seem like a no-brainer, but many salespeople forget their \u201clistening ears\u201d before they get on a phone call. You\u2019re not just calling to talk at<\/em> a prospect \u2014 you\u2019re calling to speak with them. When they\u2019re talking, don\u2019t just sit and wait for your chance to speak again. Listen to what they are saying and, in some instances, repeat back to them to show that you\u2019re listening.<\/p>\n

5. Show interest<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re working on building rapport with a customer on the phone and they throw out a personal detail\u2014for example, her daughter just had a baby, or his family just got a new dog\u2014break out of your script for two seconds to show interest. Congratulate grandma on the new addition, or ask what kind of dog the family got and what they named it.<\/p>\n

6. Be natural\"building<\/strong><\/p>\n

Your dealership may have you follow a script<\/a> when you make calls. Scripts can be extremely useful, especially in cold-calling, but sometimes a nervous salesperson may rely on them too heavily and forget to engage in a natural conversation. The best salespeople can read from a script while still building rapport and the customer on the other end of the line is none the wiser.<\/p>\n

One of the most important things to remind yourself of when building rapport with prospects is that not everyone wants to chat or cares enough to engage very deeply with you. You may practice all of the techniques listed above, get great at phone calls, and still encounter people that have no desire to speak with you. And that\u2019s okay! Being an auto salesperson can be challenging, and you\u2019re always going to have customers that are resistant to your charms\u2014but that doesn\u2019t mean you shouldn\u2019t keep practicing and become the best at what you do.<\/p>\n

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