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November 27, 2013 at 08:45 AM
In last month’s column, I discussed how to quickly generate rapport — and therefore trust — with a prospect through the use of mirroring. Through this technique, you can gain your client’s trust by mirroring their body posture.
Now, I’d like to discuss how your vocal inflections will help facilitate the rapport between you and your client.
Voice qualities
People tend to trust others when rapport exists. That rapport comes not only from body posture, but also in voice qualities. You probably are aware of the difficulties inherent in a hard-charging New Yorker trying to generate rapport with prospect in Alabama. The fast-clipped harshness of the New Yorker would not engender trust from the slower-talking, “down home” client, especially on the telephone. But are you aware of more subtle voice characteristics?
Peak performing practitioners like Craig Beachnaw in Lansing, Mich., can do wonders on the phone. Craig is able to raise or lower his voice pitch depending on his client’s voice qualities. Craig instinctively knows that if he talks in a gravely deep tone, the listener will lose rapport and trust if the listener’s voice is high pitched. Most importantly, Craig knows to speed up his voice pace or slow it down depending on the way his client says hello.
