By George Torok
The more successfully you build rapport with your audience, the more willing they will be to listen to you, trust you and believe your message. But if they see you as an outsider, they will be less inclined to listen, trust you or engage with what you have to say.
If you want to persuade people to see things from your point of view, you must first demonstrate that you can see things from theirs. This means understanding the challenges they face and appreciating the outcomes they are trying to achieve.
Building Instant Rapport
Imagine the difference when you manage to establish rapport with your audience almost immediately. Everyone in the room begins to feel a shared sense of purpose: we are all in this together, we are on the same side, and we are working toward the same results.
That is the sense of trust you want to create. Don’t act like an outsider, and don’t pretend to be someone you’re not. Simply highlight the common ground you share with your audience.
How Do You Build Rapport?
Avoid phrases such as:
- “I know how you feel or what you’re thinking.” No, you don’t.
- “I’m just like you.” No, you’re not.
- “I feel your pain.” No, you don’t.
These statements raise red flags because they simply don’t sound sincere. Lies don’t build trust. Instead, find ways to communicate these sentiments without resorting to phrases that can alienate your audience.
Identify Their Challenges
Identify the specific challenges your audience faces and talk about them. This may require some research before your presentation. During your talk, you can also refer to a conversation you have had with an audience member, provided it is relevant.
Are they salespeople facing intense competition? IT managers struggling to meet the endless demands of operations teams and customers? Or employees overwhelmed by workloads and struggling with job-related pressure and stress?
Once you understand their challenges, remind them of their strengths and celebrate the successes they have achieved. Shift the focus from the negative to the positive.
Share a Common Experience
You may be able to share a similar challenge you have faced and explain how difficult it was to overcome. Don’t pretend to be a superhero. Who or what helped you get through that challenge? What did you learn from the experience? And how did you feel before, during and after it?
Let your audience see the similarities between your experience and theirs. Be honest, and show your human side when sharing your story. That is what creates genuine connection.
Building rapport with an audience begins with understanding and appreciating its point of view. Show people that you understand where they are coming from, then help them see a path forward.
Before you ask someone to cross your bridge, you must first reach their side of it. Then, you can guide them to the other side with you.
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