The Art Of Winning People Over

The FORD concept is the acronym for Friends, Occupation, Recreation and Dreams. It is a very simple formula that will enable you to start a conversation with individuals in everyday and business life. Once you master the use of this concept, you can then build on it and add your own flair.

Worksheet:
Download and print the 1 page FORD concept to have as a reminder when building rapport with clients, customer and employees.

If you give someone the opportunity to talk about their family, it has the potential to open up the conversation on a more personal level which can lead to sales outcomes, networking opportunities or further connection through a common area.

Occupation can also mean career, business or job. This is a large component of someone's time and generally plays a large part in what they're passionate about - especially if they are business owners. At the initial phase, you should not discount what it is that someone does for a living, as it could be a potential flow on for further opportunities.

This is more about what it’s important to the individual outside of their work, career, family etc. It’s an extra-curricular activity or hobby in their life that’s of interest or importance to the individual. This is a great topic to have a conversation about, as it opens up the communication and personalisation of the individual that you are trying to connect with.

In this component of the FORD concept, you as the individual forging the relationship and winning the other person over, really needs to concentrate on providing a forum of active listening. This is where ideally if they have trusted you enough with their family, occupation, and recreation and you have fostered an environment where they feel comfortable enough, they will share with you their dreams, goals, desire or personal aspirations.

Now it's your turn to win people over and connect your way to the top. Set yourself a timeline to use the FORD technique and the top 10 tips to challenge yourself on the below:

1. On a potential client
2. On a referral partner
3. At your next networking event.

Well done on completing this course! Make sure you practise the FORD concept during conversations within your business and everyday life. Once you start to incorporate the top 10 tips, you will get more efficient and more effective in building lasting relationships and connecting your way to the top. The key to individual and business success is to always come from heart and be your authentic self.