How to Build Rapport in Introductory Meetings

I just watched a rep lose a HIGH 6 figure deal in the first 5 minutes. Not because of price. Not because of product fit. Because of tonality. Here's what happened: Prospect: "Hi, nice to meet you. Just finished walking my dog..." Rep: "Great. What business priority brought you here today?" Prospect: "Um... we're just looking at options..." Call went downhill from there. The problem: Some reps have only one communication style. For instance: Direct and aggressive. But 60% of prospects need a softer approach to open up. Here's the framework I teach top performers: 1) Read the prospect in 30 seconds Fast talker, "let's cut to the chase" = match their energy Slow speaker, relationship-focused = dial it down 2) Adjust your questions accordingly Instead of: "Who's the decision maker?" Try: "Typically when companies evaluate new solutions, it involves a few people. In your organization, who would usually be part of that process?" Same information. Completely different response rate. 3) Practice the uncomfortable Yes, it feels fake at first. Your brain says "this isn't me." But you're not being disingenuous. You're adapting your communication style to connect better. The drill: Record yourself asking 5 discovery questions at different tonality levels for 20 minutes daily. Level 10 = drill sergeant Level 5 = curious colleague Level 2 = supportive friend When reps master tonality… Discovery calls run 40% longer Prospects share sensitive information earlier Close rates increase 30%+ One of my clients went from 23% to 31% close rate just by softening her delivery on budget and stakeholder questions. You can have the best discovery framework in the world, but if your tonality shuts prospects down, none of it matters. Sales leaders: This is coachable. Shadow your reps' calls and listen for tonality mismatches. Role-play different prospect personalities in team meetings. The reps who master this skill connect with every buyer type and consistently hit quota. P.S. DM me if you want to install this in your teams.

I feel like a lot of people are unsure what to do in the first few min of a call when meeting the decision maker for the first time. You know, like you’ve had 2-3 calls and now your champion is bringing the CFO… How do you ace the first 5 min? There’s one x factor thing. And a couple other tips. Here’s what I do: I don’t really make small talk. I focus more on simply making a good impression. On time, professional, composed, poised, not nervous, etc. I do address them directly. Confidently and casually ask them how they’re doing. “Jane, how ya doin?” (CFO) To my mobilizer: “Bill, good to see ya” (Director of Finance) I try to really imagine what’s going through the executive’s mind. Likely: want to get to the point, lots of Slacks and distractions inbound, likely not interested in making friends with you, *genuinely care about impacting their company* Side note, the better you get at being able to imagine what other people are thinking, the better you’ll get at sales. And you can practice this just by doing it. Also, I try not to go around the room and make everyone introduce themselves. Only lunatics enjoy this. (I messed up and did this on a meeting yesterday and it sucked) Instead, I quickly introduce everyone from my team and either ask my champion to introduce everyone from their team or I just let them know that I looked everyone up beforehand to save us having to do intros. So after quick pleasantries and intros, I do the most important thing to set the meeting up well: *I ask my mobilizer to kick the meeting off* “Okay so Bill, do you want to maybe kick us off, give an overview of the conversation to date, why you’re exploring Tropic, what’s going on in the business that has you focused on this right now?” It is MUCH better for the CFO to hear this intro from someone on their own team than from YOU. They are much more likely to trust them. This is THE X FACTOR key to starting this meeting well. And I prep for this moment with my mobilizer before the call. Either on our last call or on a dedicated prep call. I just straight up ask them to do it. LMK in comments if we should expand on this. Here’s an example of what I might want my mobilizer to say: “Yep, happy to. Jane, we started talking to Tropic as part of the broader focus internally at ProspectCo on maturing systems to drive better efficiency (process and cost) in advance of the Series C next year. There are two main outcomes we’re expecting from Tropic. One, get all of our spend and purchasing processes totally organized. And two, surface any big opportunities to cut unnecessary costs from our tech stack. Tropic really stood out to us vs any other ways we could approach this project. We like the unique combination of their platform AND the data they’ll provide to us to help drive costs down.” I break this blurb down in the screenshot. LMK any thoughts or if there’s anything you do differently.

If you’re in a customer-facing role, the way you show up matters. First impressions set the tone and you’re far more likely to win trust (and business) if you lead with a strong introduction and professional presence. Here are 4 practical areas with Do’s ✅ and Don’ts ❌ to sharpen your customer interactions: 1. Introduction: Focus on Value, Not Tenure ✅ DO: Lead with your name, role, and how you help the customer. “Hi, I’m Freya, part of the solutions team here at [Company]. My role is to help you find the right setup so your team gets value faster.” ❌ DON’T: Open with how long you’ve been at the company—it can signal inexperience if short, or sound irrelevant if long. 2. Appearance: Dress for the Customer, Not for Yourself ✅ DO: Match the audience (smart casual for tech, formal for finance, practical-polished for manufacturing). Dress one notch above their expected standard. Stay consistent across touchpoints. ❌ DON’T: Show up underdressed (signals lack of respect) or overdressed (creates distance). Wear distracting logos, patterns, or accessories that pull focus away from you. 3. Tone & Presence: Read the Room ✅ DO: Be clear, confident, and warm. Mirror energy and language without mimicking. Project positive authority (helpful and confident, not overbearing). ❌ DON’T: Apologize for being “new” or “not knowing everything.” Monopolize the conversation - ask, listen, and adapt. Let nerves flatten your energy - customers feel it. 4. Practical Habits That Go a Long Way ✅ DO: Use the customer’s name naturally, early, and often. Have a one-liner that connects your role to their success. Keep eye contact (camera on if virtual). Smile - authentic warmth builds trust. ❌ DON’T: Start with “I’ve only been here X months.” Default to jargon unless you’re certain they share the same vocabulary. Multitask or glance at other screens - presence is everything. These are all general tips and many roads do lead to Rome. In my experience, the most successful customer facing professionals always keep in mind that your introduction isn’t about you - it’s about how you’ll help your customer. Show up prepared, aligned, and focused, and you’ll immediately separate yourself from 90% of the pack.