Understanding how to build rapport with potential clients is a vital skill no matter what kind of work you do, and the best ways to establish that rapport tend to work well across different industries and contexts. If you have a good pitch, knowing how to set yourself up for success means understanding how to get everyone into a receptive state of mind before you dig into the details.
1. Control the Room
Physical comfort and discomfort do a lot to determine whether someone is open to taking risks or even exploring new ideas. If you can control the environment to keep sources of disruption or discomfort down, then it is easier to keep everyone’s attention while connecting the dots that show them why your project, product, or idea is going to benefit them.
There is such a thing as making the audience too at ease, though. If people relax too much, then they are not going to pay attention to details when you communicate. Keep the temperature in the room at a moderate level to stave off drowsiness, and remember that environmental light levels do a lot contribute to sleepiness. If you need to take the lights down for a presentation, try not to leave them down too long.
2. Greet and Treat
It might seem simple or a little childish, but a candy dish in your office or conference room can do a lot to help break the ice. Wholesale bulk candy is inexpensive, and you can calibrate your offerings to match the tone of your business. Butterscotch lozenges and starlight mints are still an adult choice for formal settings, but if your business is a little more relaxed you could also go with something like candy bars or even treats aimed directly at kids for businesses that tend to see entire families at once.
3. Pace Yourself
Keeping a pace that keeps people engaged while going slow enough that they have a chance to ask questions if needed. Understanding your audience’s level of background knowledge can help a lot when it comes to deciding how much detail to break down and what you can move quickly through, but make sure you demonstrate your own expertise as well. It takes a little practice to balance all these factors, but they help a lot when the goal is to persuade someone who is already interested, but not completely sold. Just remember, in the end it is all about understanding who you are working with and what they need.
