Asking the right questions to build trust and rapport helps in closing the sale.
No man is an island and no successful businessperson ever made it big without the help of others. There are so many people needed to build a successful business today. We need business advisors, mentors, coaches, lawyers, accountants, managers, assistants and a whole hosts of other specialty skill sets to make the wheels of progress turn.
That is just on the business side of making operations run. What we really, really need to make our business grow are loyal paying customers. So how do you do that? How do you put the right people in the business, to grow the business, and how do you attract the loyal clientele and customers to keep you in a positive cash flow?
It is all about building relationships.
Period. Building relationships is everything and the words you use to build those relationships are so powerful. But how do you choose the right words? How do you know what to say? By asking the right questions, that’s how.
In essence, this is all about sales and service. When you are in the business of selling hammers, you see the answer to all of the world’s problems answered by customers buying your hammers. In a way, you are right. But this will only solve all of the problems in your own financial world. This gives you cash flow, increases your sales, pays your bills, and helps to grow your business. But are you focusing on your clients’ needs? Are your customers getting from you what they need to make theirs lives better? How do you know? You have to ask the question.
In sales, there is a tendency to chase the customer, pin them down and force feed them your sales pitch until you get to the checkbook. This may work once, maybe even twice. But your customers will catch on that this is all about “you” and will soon be heading over to your competition to do their business there. They need to know what’s in it for “them”. Why is it so important to do business with you instead of any one else whose business does the same thing you do? You need to define your unique value proposition. That “secret sauce” that makes you special needs to deliver something unique that your customer doesn’t get anywhere else. In a world of so many choices, you have to have something special that makes you stand out. So lets turn this into a game where everyone wins.
Step One “Ask and Listen”
Let’s create an example wrapped around renting a 2 BR apartment. Once you have a prospect from your marketing efforts there are a few ways you can approach this. The typical way to present the apartment is walk them through the unit, show them the all of the features, tell the prospect all about you and your company, then get the application and close the deal. Ok, this may work, but they can get the same song and dance right next door, or in fact any other rental in your market. Where is the value of doing business with you?
So let’s replay this same interaction a different way. You meet the prospect from your marketing efforts at the property and engage in a conversation. Start by asking questions. How long have you been looking for an apartment? Can you describe to me what would the perfect apartment for you? What are the most important amenities that you would like in your new apartment? What are some of the biggest challenges you have today as a renter? We will get to showing them the apartment later on.
You will ask questions to find out more about your customer. You are building rapport. You are getting to know them and what is important to them. You are asking and listening. That is all that you are doing at this stage of the game. By the client talking, they are teaching you what has value from their perspective. You are learning with each answer they give you to your questions. And by listening to them, you are building their trust. By asking the questions, you are in control of the conversation. By listening, you are establishing trust. So this is the first step of your new game. Ask questions, and listen – that’s it. Stop talking – just listen.
Step Two “Confirm and Verify”
The second phase of this game is to verify and confirm everything they just told you. This confirms that you were listening to them and it build trust in the relationship that you now know and understand what is important to them. Now they will begin to trust you. At least a little more than ten minutes ago when they walked through the door. So to review, first step is to control the conversation by asking questions and by listening closely to their answers, learning what is important to your client. The second step to mirror back those values and concerns you have just been told to your client to show that you heard their concerns, thus establishing trust in your prospect.
All the while through this process you are checking off the boxes to close the sale. They have told you they need a clean, safe apartment, in a good location near highways and local shopping, in a good school system, where the neighbors are not too loud, with a reliable maintenance program, and they want to be able to keep their two cats.
Step Three “Closing the Deal”
Enter step three in the game. Now, all you have to do is match up the values that are important to your prospect, to the same values you will deliver with your product. This is so simple to do, but you have to be patient, ask the questions first, listen to what your customer is saying, then reflect all of those values back to show you are listening, and really – that you care. So now that you know exactly what buttons to push to close the sale, you step-by-step walk through the objections and concerns checking them off of the list as you go confirming that you have a match with your product to their specific needs. The words roll off of your tongue as if this was a custom crafted conversation built specifically created for this unique encounter. Well, guess what – it was.
By taking the time to ask the right questions, listen to the answers, repeat those concerns, and then address those concerns one-by-one, you build rapport, you build trust, and your product becomes amazingly the best solution they have seen in their long search to find you.
Playing The Game
I have done this again and again with the same results every time. Granted, the client needed to first qualify financially for the opportunity I was about to present to them. But when I take the time, to listen first, then teach. It is a much simpler sales process, and if they qualify, more often than not I will close the sale.
So can you leverage this sales technique? Absolutely! You may need to rent an apartment, or sell an old lawn mower. But you also may need to raise money for that $5 MM dollar apartment deal. Well, the process is simple, easy to follow, and it works both ways to make sure the opportunity will work for both parties involved. If through the process of asking these questions I confirm that this is not the right opportunity for them, or the right customer for me – then we can both move on, no harm, no foul. Again, talking teaches, and listening builds trust, and it works both ways for you and your client.
So is This the End of the Game?
Far from it. It is the beginning of the long-term profitable relationship where you are given the opportunity day by day to further build trust, deliver on the promises that you have defined from the start of the relationship, and continue to foster new relationships based upon your existing relationships with your current customers. But the best part of it all, people talk. If you are doing a decent job delivering on your promises, then those satisfied customers will absolutely build a path of referrals to your door bringing you qualified leads who already know your reputation and have trust in you. Does all of this make sense to you?
Do you have any ideas on this topic you could share to help our online community?
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Warmest regards,
Brian Lucier
Belaire Property Management
Regional Property Manager
(978) 448-0669
info@belaire.co
www.belaire.co
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