How can you build rapport with a customer who doesn't like small talk?

Let’s be honest, people are busy! Show the value you can bring to your customer and build trust. Whether a customer likes small talk or not, you need to focus on their needs above all.

Get to the point. Respect their time and do your homework before the meeting of knowing their priorities and only use the time to validate some points. Don’t interrogate them as it is annoying and also can be perceived as disrespectful to their time and that you are on a fishing expedition

My 2 cents...Get off of your own program. What value are you adding to the person who wants to cut to the chase? What's his/her need? What will make the conversation worth his/her time? Focus on the customer, not your agenda. The more we seek to serve, the better we'll all be.

Be useful. Be concise. Listen to and observe your client's needs. Offer solutions and clear, practical perspectives through your product or service.

Building rapport is not just something that you do in the beginning of the call. It’s ok to jump into your talk and build rapport as you bring value to the prospect. Most people tend to warm up as they’re getting more engaged with your talk.

Ask open-ended questions that invite thoughtful responses, and be concise in your communication. This approach allows you to engage with your customer , linking to the customer’s preferences while still addressing their concerns effectively.

Establishing relationships with doctors in the pharmaceutical industry, particularly those with tight schedules, requires a strategic approach. Before visits, comprehensive market research is conducted to understand doctors' behavioral patterns, needs, preferred molecules (identified through pharmacist surveys), and time constraints during meetings. This proactive research enables tailored messaging, addressing specific customer pain points, and ensuring that interactions align with the doctor's preferences and priorities. Ultimately, this approach facilitates effective relationship-building with busy doctors who play a pivotal role in influencing a large patient pool.

Customers are always different and changing however Talent people can find a way to engage them Starting from feedback and profiling of the customer and then to provide what he really likes or needs to listen to Or you can give him the talk in one of a specific topic , he is interested in Or you engage him in a program either related to his interests or his customers’ benefit

I try to find common interests or something they care about deeply usually from a colleague or staff member. Then try to break the ice asking them to share their thoughts on the particular topic? In my experience most people love to talk about themselves! At the end of the day you need to find a way to build trust! Sounds cliche but people buy from people! Until you can build that trust it will be very difficult to demonstrate, share, introduce a solution or solve their problem.

Find out the customers needs, by asking open-ended questions, work on satisfay it, that's a shortcut way to own their loyalty and trust.

This is a double edged sword. I would be careful with this tactic. The pointers of discussion should be clear and if the customer wants to bring in additional points they can and will if they feel it is not just them speaking or you speaking. Also sometimes customers don’t know what the solution looks like , help them navigate that without being perceived as pushy.

I disagree with this, The main cause that customer is non responsive and doesn’t like small talks is busyness of the customer. The open end question increase customer annoyed Because it consumes time So the best is close end questions which directed toward my product value acceptance

In my experience when customer is less receptive, you should always step up with ready need analysis to break conversation with open ended questions layering down to solution as a product.

Acknowledge the customer's preference for avoiding small talk and adopt a more direct communication style. Clearly convey information, answer questions, and provide solutions without unnecessary embellishments

Let me increase the level of challenge here. If the customer says, "You have a chance to ask me only one question". What this question will be. With those customers stay away from asking questions to which you can find answers somewhere else. Try asking insightful questions that reveal new areas or create new awareness.

Linguistic technique is good but should be authentic. People want to trust each other. Communication success is based on it. What's important is to be honest.

Doing your homework well about the client, their profile, company, brand they are handling, market scenario, your own products before meeting such a client has always helped me followed by listening to their pain points, understanding their exact requirements and presenting the best possible solution. Convey your regrets if you don’t have the solution. If you need time to revert, ask for it. Listening will give you many cues. Remember to take notes to refer later. Ask for their preferences, see examples of work they have liked, stick to the agenda and topic of the meeting, be on time, summarise before leaving, thank them for their time. The ice breaks sooner or later. Have patience. After all they are humans.

Active listening is crucial when conversing with customers who may not be open to a small talk. Pay close attention to their words, show empathy, and respond thoughtfully to demonstrate that you genuinely understand and care about their concerns or needs. This will help build rapport and contribute to a more meaningful conversation.

Active listening often serves as a foundational skill, as it demonstrates genuine interest, helps you understand their needs, and lays the groundwork for providing valuable solutions within their comfort zone.According to me and my 20 plus years experience in sales and marketing ,I find Active listening can play a vital role in building rapport in person who doesn't prefer small talk.

Showcase your knowledge and expertise in a way that directly addresses the customer's concerns or requirements. This approach demonstrates competence and can earn the customer's respect

Tailor your communication to the customer's preferences and needs. While avoiding small talk, find ways to personalize your interactions by remembering and referencing relevant information about the customer's history or preferences

People believe what they say more than what someone else says… if you properly mirror their behaviour and asked the proper clarifying questions. It won’t seem like small talk and you will get meaningful insights from your perspective customer

Do your home work and get to know more about the customer and his/her interests. Once you break ice, Professional and value based Win -Win situations can lead to Success and Rapport building. " Customer is King" but we can't will all.

Mirroring can be emotional one as well. Live and show the same emotions. Excitement, passion, fear, worry will adjust your wavelength and tunes you to the customer.

Research. If you don't have the opportunity for small talk, find out who your customer is. Look them up on LinkedIn or even within your community if you have a local business. Practice active listening, it's amazing what you can hear when your focus is truly on what they are (and sometimes aren't) saying. Take notes so you can continually build on the picture of who your client is, in each of your interactions. Ultimately, if the client is ALL business, work to keep their concern top of mind and conversation. But doing the homework so you can personalize the experience will go far.

If a customer doesn’t enjoy small talk, avoid pushing them into it. Focus on the topic at hand, be attentive to their questions , and maintain a professional and respectful manner This helps create a positive interaction without making the customer feel uncomfortable or pressured into engaging in conversations they prefer to avoid.

You might come artificial, insensitive and rude. Respecting boundaries is sometimes the make or break on these discussions.. Be very careful with jokes as it might and will fall out flat. You lose respect. You need to be pleasant but not overly energetic as that shows you are either nervous, or nonprofessional.

Opening call and building rapport should be customized to client’s communication styles from my experience, directive clients I.e director and head of department doesn’t like much small talk. Go hit to the point, what value (should be customized as well) you are going to tell him/her yr objective but in the way they want as well as gaining attention and make sure you communicate directly (elevator speech could help esp with hospital director,KDM Key Decision Maker)

Please stay away from cliche ice breakers. Talking about the weather, the traffic, kids' school are boring killers. i find complementing their recent achievements a good one.

Recognize and respect the customer's preference for avoiding casual conversation. Some individuals appreciate a more business-focused interaction, so honoring their communication style is key to building a positive relationship.

I think the only way to build a rapport in such cases is to respect the boundaries. Respect begets respect. Once the trust develops, the barriers will start falling. However, even when the barriers start falling, the same respect for boundaries should be maintained if you wish to forge a long-term relationship

One thing I would like to add is to engage such customers initially by developing & delivering short & crisp messages about the product or service targeting the needs of the customer. Once an initial rapport is built through meaningful small talks, only then you can use the technique of using "open ended questions" to get him in flow with you

Learn about the client. Look around his/her office for information about that person. If they have lots of awards and diplomas on the wall, speak to those. If you see lots of family photos in office, ask about family as photos demonstrate the pride in family. If you see lots of art, travel artifacts, and other things that might demonstrate hobbies, ask about those. And use open ended questions whenever possible.

DO NOT TAKE THINGS PERSONAL. not everyone is the same. Small talks have no equation to the success of one project not any deals? Shall there be human with preferences of rice versus bread, and why not preferences on the topics of small talks, or simply introvert versus extrovert in making conversations, or simply small talks are a waste of time :)

Visit the customer's social media pages. Linkedin, FB, Instagram are all good starts to have an idea about the personality of the customer. This will help you plan a tactful approach. Yet stay away from red lines and avoid pushing it fast. Stay calm and positive is a great practice.

In medical sales, build rapport with someone opposed to small talk by focusing on their professional interests, discussing relevant industry insights, and showcasing the value of your product through concise, targeted information aligned with their needs and preferences. Additionally, building rapport involves identifying their pain points and tailoring your message to address specific challenges they face, demonstrating how your product or service can effectively alleviate their concerns and make their lives or their patient's experiences better.

Instead of discussing unrelated topics, concentrate on providing solutions to the customer's challenges. Demonstrating a commitment to addressing their needs can establish a strong and positive connection.

Before contact your customer do some homework, prepare for your call, meet with others, study your customer needs, problems, interest, also customer's last request or order.. Planning is key success factor, as important as your visit..

The best way to build rapport with your customers, whether they dislike small talk or not, is by consistently showing up. My customers know they can count on me to give them the complete and balanced story. I consider myself to be the peacekeeper, who brokers an effective and mutually beneficial relationship between my employer and the providers I call on. These words might seem generic, but there's power in knowing the unique traits you bring to the sales table.

I would like to Make such customers initially by developing & delivering short messages about the product or service targeting the needs of the customer. I can make a initial report with the home work. It is going on visible work. I can make it with the technical issues. It should be "open ended questions" to get it in our flow with me.