Despite the exponential growth of online sales and outlets such as Amazon, unless you have a simple, transactional product like a book or consumable item, people will still be key to the appeal you present to the outside world.
In B2B marketing, products and services tend to have a lifetime value associated with their sales process. Or they may be large capital goods, or services that align very closely to a business and its success. Typically these require a big commitment or a big investment for the buyers concerned and one where, however innovative a product or impressive a service, buyers are unlikely to invest unless they trust the people they’re buying from. Building a rapport with a client is therefore one of the most essential elements of creating sales, without it, customers will be much more reluctant to invest.
Unlike many other telemarketing companies, Blue Donkey takes likeability seriously. Over the years, we’ve won a number of awards for our customer focused philosophy, distinctive business personality and unique approach. We’re also incredibly proud of our Investors in People and ISO:9001 accreditation, reflecting our commitment to our workforce and client base.
Using a combination of intelligent questions, research and strategy, we are able to build relationships with customers quickly and easily, ensuring they see great results from their campaigns and boost their brand awareness.
Building rapport and winning trust
When you call a business decision maker, you don’t just want them to listen to what you have to say, you want them to like you. If the caller can build a rapport, the person they’re speaking to will be much more likely to trust the information they’re being given and therefore much more likely to engage with the organisation. In general, trust and rapport go hand in hand. Work on them both for long enough and you’ll end up with a solid business relationship that’s beneficial both for your company and the person you’re selling to.
Meaningful discussions
One of the key elements required to build rapport with a customer is a meaningful discussion. When someone answers the phone, the last thing they want is to be preached to. Instead, it’s important you grab their attention with insightful and informative content, showing the unique value and benefit of your product or service as you go.
However, as well as talking about what you offer, it’s also crucial you listen to the needs and requirements of the person you’re talking to. Not only will this show your potential customer that you’re genuinely interested in their business, it will also transform a standard sales call into a meaningful discussion, helping to build the foundation of a long lasting business relationship.
Treat each caller as an individual
Even if you make tens, or even hundreds, of calls a day, it’s important to remember every person you speak to is an individual. If you want to build rapport with a potential customer, and encourage them to spend money with your company, you need to approach each call on its own terms.
In general, people like people who are like themselves. If you ask the right questions you’ll be able to find some common ground with the person you’re calling. This will help you to build a relationship and make it more likely that they’ll trust the information you give them.
By training our staff to use a range of intelligent techniques, we’re able to build rapport, trust and understanding quickly and easily. From simple ideas like ‘smile as you dial’ to more advanced visualisation techniques and approaches that place the client, their needs and their interests right at the heart of the call, our training helps our staff get the very best results from every call they make.
If you would like to learn more about how Blue Donkey can help you build effective relationships with your customer base, contact us on 01353 724 880.
