How to Build Personal Rapport with Every Type of Client
By Stephanie Chung
How many times have you heard the saying: “Communication is key”? Very often I’m sure and for good reason. By seeking ways to improve your communication skills, you are also learning how to master the art of relationship building with clients. This is a crucial lesson in sales and a key to the secret to success: being able to adapt your communication style with your clients’ styles.
 It’s important to understand your own communication style as well as the receiver’s to effectively build personal rapport. There are three important strategies you must follow to essentially customize your communication style and apply it to fit other’s personalities. Once you master these tactics, you will then be able to easily build rapport and customer loyalty. 
1.)    Identify Your Communication Style 
The first step towards identifying your communication style is to ask yourself a series of questions to get a clear understanding of how you are most comfortable communicating with others. As you answer each of the following questions, think about how you communicate on a daily basis, such as with your boss, clients and co-workers.
How do I influence others?
How do I handle challenging situations?
How do I change my approach when dealing with different behavior styles?
Am I able to recognize different behavior styles? 
After you’ve answered each question, you will have a much better idea of how you’ve been able to build a rapport with your colleagues. Use this information to learn how you can apply similar or better approaches when communicating with clients. 
2.)    Adapt Your Communication Style 
In order to adapt to different people’s communication styles you must first understand their personality. Do not use a one-size-fits-all approach for sales calls and pitches, as this is a ticket to losing many sales opportunities.
Try to determine your clients’ behavior styles before your sales presentation. You can do so by researching online, asking a friend or colleague that has interacted with them or reaching out to him or her prior to your sales pitch.
You can use the list of behavior styles below and response suggestions as a guide for your sales call.
Direct, Strong-Willed, Ambitious: Be clear, specific, brief and to the point
Friendly and Enthusiastic: Create a warm environment, and refrain from drowning them in details, unless they ask for them
Predictable, Steady, and Relaxed: Present yourself softly, non-threateningly, and logically
Perfectionist, Conservative: Prepare your presentation in advance, stick to business and don’t exaggerate.
3.)    Uphold Your Personal Rapport 
By maintaining personal rapport with your client, you’re solidifying your business relationship. A great way to create a trusting relationship is by doing small things that make a big difference. Such as checking in with clients from time to time and sending them helpful tips. They’ll appreciate you finding ways that could make their lives easier.
Don’t just stop with this list of tips, it’s important to continue to seek ways to improve your communication skills. With all of your knowledge, you will soon gain the confidence to adapt your communication style more easily and successfully.  
About Stephanie Chung
Based in Dallas, Stephanie Chung and Associates offer sales coaching, sales training, and executive mentorship services nationwide that help you work smarter, not harder. As a former sales executive in the aviation and private jet industry, Stephanie has mastered the art of high ticket selling and has mentored, coached and developed some of the highest paid, most elite, sales professionals in the country. Serving business leaders, sales executives, and sales professionals, Business Coach Stephanie Chung uses her proven executive coaching and sales training expertise to get the job done. Chung is an executive coach, trainer and advisor as well as a public speaker backed by more than 25 years of team management, business development, and sales leadership experience. She counsels sales executives and business professionals in a diverse array of strategies and tactics. Chung is also a public speaker and a contributor of The Change Book Series.