Why Building Rapport is Killing Your Sales Career.

People don’t need to like you to do business with you.

Heck, they don’t even need to trust you all the time.

Don’t get me wrong.

It sure helps if people like you.

No one likes creeps and morons.

We don’t like talking to them, let alone spending our money with them.

But that’s not rocket science.  That’s pretty much stating the obvious.

It’s bumper-sticker “Mean People Suck” business logic.

But we’ve taken this idea of basic human dignity to radical extremes in the selling.

And while our marketing newsletters are impersonal and uninspiring, we’ve somehow made it a priority to create a dramatic personal relationship with everybody on our lead list.

And it doesn’t makes sense.

It’s time to cut out the chit-chat.

Who thought that being a “Chatty Kathy” was a great sales strategy in the first place?

Making friends as a core sales strategy is what you do when you have a crappy product and zippy selling skills.  It’s about last-ditch efforts.

And before you disagree and start mumbling excuses about that’s how building quality relationships is at the core of how you do business, let dig a little deeper into this.

Maybe you’re just too needy…

Are you turning leads into friends because you care more or just because you need to feel better about yourself?

And are you building true relationships or just using your company credit card to avoid eating lunch alone or spending Happy Hour at the bar without a “Drinking Buddy”?

It’ll make you think about why you (really) do what you do.

Rapport isn’t a strategy.

Building rapport isn’t a strategic differentiator.  It’s just a ticket to the game.

It’s assumed when you take the job that you know how to be interesting and carry on a conversation and be halfway likable.

Stop starting every sales meeting talking about the weather and family photos and all that “what’s new?” jibberish.

It’s just not necessary at all.

And here’s something you probably haven’t considered.

Don’t complain about not closing the deal when you create a first impression that you just want to be friends.

It’s killing your sales career.