Building connection is a vital ingredient to communication. Sometimes we just ‘click’ and the conversation runs smoothly, it is enjoyable and the results are so much better than when the communication is tense and we fail to connect.
So what about those of us who are always on the phone? We sometimes get feedback that rapport is difficult to build. No way!
When your work doesn’t involve face-to-face contact, it is just as simple to create rapport. In fact, many people find it even easier without the distractions that can occur in a meeting. These techniques work well both face-to-face and over the phone.
Think about it.
You can tell when someone is happy or sad over the phone. You can pick up whether their breathing is very shallow or deep which indicates whether they are agitated or relaxed. You can even pick up if someone is standing up or lying down. You can hear all of this through the phone if you listen.
Match and mirror on what you observe. Consider the following.
VOICE – TONE, SPEED OF SPEECH AND OTHER VOICE CHARACTERISTICS
- Tempo – are they talking fast or slow
- Volume – loud or soft
- Pitch – high or low
- Phrases they use
- Pauses that can be matched
EXPERIENCE – FINDING COMMON GROUND
Establish common ground in interests and activities. This applies even to simple observations such as the weather or the traffic.
As you develop your skills in building rapport, you will notice that we even breathe in different ways. Matching breathing patterns is a very subtle and yet extremely effective way of building rapport.
You can hear all of this through the phone if you listen. And remember, listen for what isn’t said. For example: ‘l think I can…”, It’s almost as if you can hear them say ‘but. So you say, ‘but?’ and open up the conversation even further. Try it today.