PISC HAT WRITE UP-MECHANICS OF BUILDING RAPPORT
Purpose: This is a hat on what to do to effectively build rapport with any PI
Originator: VP Sales and Marketing Date: 4/27/2022
Post’s Concerning: PISC
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This should be started during the turnover from the PIC. If that is not a possibility for whatever reason, you should get with the investor in a 1-on-1 scenario and go through the steps. Learning these steps without having to actively think of the next step will allow you to easily build meaningful and deep relationships with anyone you talk to. This ability is the most important to develop for any PISC in order to hold the hat successfully.
Steps:
Check your appearance, you only have one shot at giving a good first impression.
Have the correct mindset, being that you want to be interested in what they have to say. Don’t try to be interesting.
Be relaxed in your demeanor, smile and keep a good posture. Most of your attention and intent should be directed towards listening.
If at any point you feel the PI wants to end the call, do so kindly. Don’t overstay your welcome and keep note of wherever the conversation stopped so you can resume at that point the next time you talk.
Your main goal in the first conversations is to find common ground, what is considered small talk can give you some hints as to what the PI cares for. Once again, listen attentively.
Be genuine and sincere. If there is something that is important to them but you never before had interest in it, ask for more information if it is genuinely something you could be interested in. Search for another topic if this is completely outside of your universe.
Always show empathy and build common ground or shared experiences. Sometimes sending a photo, video or audio of anything that could have reminded you of the PI can be a great way to digitally build a shared reality.
Use the same type of language that they are using, if their communication is direct and brief don’t overexplain anything they don’t ask for further explanation of. Likewise, if the PI likes to explain with a lot of details and bits and pieces, then do the same when sharing a story or anything that builds common ground.
Match the tempo and cadence of speech the PI is using, don’t speak fast if they speak slow, don’t speak loudly if they speak in a lower tone. Being extremely outgoing when they are a more reserved will make it so that you are overpowering for them, all of these small things matter and can make a difference between quick rapport building and a bumpy rocky road to finding common ground.
Whenever there is a mismatch and you notice a change from the PI, make sure to be humble, apologize and state what happened so that you make sure the reason this change happened is addressed and clear to both parties. I would always suggest to keep your word but especially in these cases where there is a change, you need to double down on your efforts to keep your word. Trust is built very slowly but can be broken in a second.
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