Just what does rapport mean? And, why is it so important when we are trying to influence others?

In this lecture, Rob discusses why rapport is so important, and the steps you can take to develop rapport and relationships.

If you have never heard of, or read, How to Win Friends and Influence people, or, Relationship Selling, here, we discuss what you can do to win friends, and influence them to take action.

Persuading people to take action, or influencing them takes certain steps and elements  - in this section, we run through some of these key principles. If you put these into action, you will go far!

We must give credit to Robert Cialdini here, as we start to dive into the 6 Principles of influence.

The more you give, the more you receive...

Whether you manage to get someone's early commitment or a small commitment; both of these will help you to influence and persuade people.

We all do what we see others do. And we all want to keep up with the Jones'!

As we mentioned earlier in our Relationship and Rapport section, the more likeable we are, the more likely we are to get people to say YES!

We all say YES to authority figures.

Using this principle will certainly help you to influence, and persuade others.

We all value rare things, and we all value things that are hard to get hold of.

If we want to influence people to take action, being able to make things appear rare is a good way to get people to say YES!

Now we know all six of these principles, what can we do to communicate these with others, and ultimately, persuade and influence others?

Why is questioning so important? And how can it help me to persuade others? 

In this lecture, let's look at why this all is so important!

What is the difference between open and closed questions?

And, most importantly, when, and how should you use each type of questions for the best success?

Why questions are so important when we are tying to understand the key motivational factors of individuals.

Sure, the person you are speaking with has given you one answer? But, is that enough? Is there anything we can do to dig a bit deeper?

How can we put all of this together?

Talkers

• Characteristics:

  • Highly communicative, enjoy networking and sharing information.

  • Often seek to be the first to know or share new trends, products, or services.

  • Influential within their social or professional circles due to their communication skills.

• Motivations:

  • Recognition and social status.

  • Being at the forefront of conversations, especially about innovative or trending topics.

• Buying Behavior:

  • Likely to buy products they can talk about or that enhance their status.

  • Influenced by social proof, reviews, and recommendations.

• Marketing Approach:

  • Leverage social media and word-of-mouth campaigns.

  • Engage them with exclusive previews or beta testing opportunities.

Doers

• Characteristics:

  • Action-oriented, practical, and focused on results.

  • Value efficiency, productivity, and tangible outcomes.

• Motivations:

  • Achieving goals quickly and effectively.

  • Tools or services that enhance productivity or solve practical problems.

• Buying Behavior:

  • Look for products with clear, practical benefits.

  • Decisions are often based on functionality over aesthetics or brand.

• Marketing Approach:

  • Highlight efficiency, features, and ROI.

  • Offer trials or demonstrations that show immediate results.

Controllers

• Characteristics:

  • Detail-oriented, risk-averse, and methodical in decision-making.

  • Prefer control over outcomes and processes, often skeptical.

• Motivations:

  • Security, reliability, and predictability.

  • Assurance that their decisions are well-informed and low-risk.

• Buying Behavior:

  • Extensive research before purchase.

  • Value warranties, guarantees, and detailed product specifications.

• Marketing Approach:

  • Provide comprehensive data, case studies, and testimonials.

  • Focus on security, reliability, and support post-purchase.

Supporters

• Characteristics:

  • Empathetic, team-oriented, and value-driven.

  • Often motivated by making a positive impact or supporting causes.

• Motivations:

  • Social good, community, and ethical considerations.

  • Products that align with their values or benefit others.

• Buying Behavior:

  • Loyal to brands that reflect their values.

  • Willing to pay a premium for ethical, sustainable, or community-supportive products.

• Marketing Approach:

  • Emphasize corporate social responsibility, community involvement, or ethical practices.

  • Build narratives around how purchases contribute to larger goals or support communities.

Remember, you MUST mirror the person you are speaking to.

You cannot communicate effectively with a talker, if you are trying to interact with them like they are a doer.

Be sure to understand, and mirror the person you are speaking with.

There are many reasons why someone may not be willing to be influenced, or persuaded, by you. BUT, if we can understand the basics, then your job as a person of influence becomes so much easier.

No Need

• Description: The customer does not see the product or service as necessary or relevant to their situation.

• Response Strategy: Educate about the problem your product solves or the benefit it provides that they might not have considered. Highlight unique features or uses.

No Money

• Description: The customer lacks the financial resources or perceives the product as too expensive.

• Response Strategy: Demonstrate value for money, offer payment plans, discounts, or compare against more costly alternatives. Show how the investment could save money over time.

No Urgency

• Description: The customer acknowledges the value but doesn't feel compelled to act immediately.

• Response Strategy: Create urgency through limited-time offers, highlighting the cost of inaction, or showing how immediate action can address current issues or opportunities.

No Desire

• Description: The customer lacks interest or emotional connection to the product or service.

• Response Strategy: Appeal to emotions or desires, perhaps by linking the product to lifestyle improvements, aspirations, or pleasures. Use storytelling or testimonials to ignite interest.

No Trust

• Description: The customer doubts the credibility, reliability, or intentions of the company or product.

• Response Strategy: Build trust through transparency, social proof (testimonials, case studies), guarantees, or by offering a trial period. Personalize the approach to show genuine care for the customer's needs.

Although these added objections could be added into the five main types, just remember; there are a number of reasons why you may not be able to influence or persuade someone.

Be sure to ask questions, and look to overcome them...

Feel, Felt, Found Method

• Synopsis: This method empathizes with the customer's objection, validates their feelings by showing others have felt the same way, and then provides reassurance by sharing a positive outcome others have found after overcoming that objection.

  • Feel: Acknowledge the customer's feelings. ("I understand how you feel...")

  • Felt: Relate it to others. ("Many of our customers have felt the same way...")

  • Found: Offer a solution or positive outcome. ("But what they found was that...")

  
  This approach helps to build rapport, shows that the objection is common and surmountable, and gently leads the customer towards reconsidering their stance by highlighting successful resolutions.

Boomerang Method

• Synopsis: Also known as the "Turnaround" or "Reverse" technique, this method involves taking the customer's objection and turning it into a reason to buy the product or service.

  • Example: If a customer says, "Your product is too expensive," you might respond with, "Yes, it is a bit of an investment, but that's because it's built to last longer, saving you money on replacements over time."

  
  The idea is to reflect the objection back in a way that highlights a benefit or value, essentially "boomeranging" the objection into a positive selling point. This method requires quick thinking and a deep understanding of the product's advantages to effectively turn negatives into positives.

Massive shoutout goes out to Simon Sinek for his thoughts, idea, research and thesis into WHY!