How to build rapport with a prospect or client
I once attended a business meeting, and within two minutes of arriving and being seated, the other person, whom I had never met before, launched right in, to discuss the issue at-hand.
No chit-chat, no small-talk (not even to discuss the traffic or the weather!), no friendly questions, and to top things off, no offer of a nice, cold glass of water on a scorching hot day in February in Melbourne.
It was like I was in a meeting with a robot, and I was just a number to be processed.
I found this lack of small talk and attempt to create any feelings of connection with me, a prospective new client, incredibly jarring.
When you meet with new people for the first time, it is more important than ever, to try to establish mutual feelings of warmth and rapport.
The saying "people buy from people they know, like, and trust" is a common principle in sales and marketing.
If you’re a sales executive, account manager or a professional meeting with prospects and clients, fostering trust, and creating a feeling of rapport is essential, as it lays the foundation for long-term collaboration, mutual respect, and business success.
So, how do you build rapport in a professional setting in which first impressions matter, and time is short?
This post discusses 8 simple strategies to create rapport when meeting with a prospective new client or an existing client.
1. Do Your Homework (Before the Meeting)
Before you meet with a prospect, take a few minutes to research them and their organisation.
Preparation shows professionalism and genuine interest.
Start with their company website, but don’t stop there! Check out their LinkedIn profile, explore recent news articles, and see if you share any mutual connections.
This advance preparation helps you tailor your conversation and signals that you're interested in them, not just your sales target.
Helpful questions to guide your research:
What is their role, and what might be top of mind for someone in that position?
Can you identify a shared connection, interest, or experience?
What does their company do, and what markets do they serve?
What are their company values or mission?
Has the prospect or their company received any recent awards, press, or recognition?
2. Be Genuinely Interested in the Person
Once you’re in the conversation, look for ways to connect beyond the business at hand.
This isn’t about asking overly personal questions—it’s about you being observant and sincerely interested.
Comment on visual cues in their environment (e.g. a family photo or football memorabilia), or ask safe and friendly questions such as:
“How long have you been in your role?”
Have you always worked in the same industry?
“What do you enjoy most about the work you do?”
These small moments often spark genuine connection, and can open the door to deeper conversation.
3. Match Their Energy and Style
Mirroring is a subtle but powerful rapport-building technique. It involves gently aligning with the other person’s communication style.
This is not mimicking. It is a technique that makes the other person feel comfortable.
For example, if your prospect is fast-paced and direct, you should be more succinct.
If they’re exuberant and energetic, you could “let your hair down” a little too!
Matching their verbal and non-verbal cues builds subconscious trust by signalling, “I get you.”
Also pay attention to:
Their choice of language. Are they results-focused, detail-oriented, or people-driven?
Their communication preferences. Do they prefer data, stories, or visuals?
This is not about you changing your personality, but instead it is about flexing your style to meet them where they are.
4. Use Their Name—But Naturally
Dale Carnegie, famously wrote in his best-selling book: How to Win Friends and Influence People that “a person’s name is, to that person, the sweetest sound in any language.”
It’s a powerful reminder of how something as simple as using someone’s name can help build connection and trust.
Using your prospect’s name respectfully and naturally humanises the conversation and makes the other person feel valued.
Aim to use their name at least, once or twice, particularly at the beginning and end of your conversation.
Don’t overdo it. When used appropriately, calling someone by their name creates a subtle yet nice, personal touch.
And be sure to pronounce their name correctly. If you're unsure, always ask, do not assume!
“People do business with those they know, like, and trust.”
5. Be Friendly and Personable
Rapport often starts with the simplest gestures, like a warm smile or direct eye contact.
Whether you're meeting face-to-face or via video, make a conscious effort to smile when greeting the prospect, and be sure to maintain natural eye contact throughout.
And on video calls, look into the camera lens occasionally, in order to simulate eye contact, and help the other person feel seen.
People are far more likely to open up when they sense that you're not just competent, but also kind and human.
6. Share a Bit About Yourself
Building rapport isn’t just about asking the right questions—it’s also about letting the other person get to know you.
If it feels appropriate, you could share a little about your interests, recent experiences, or what’s currently capturing your attention. This can make you more relatable and create new points of connection.
For example:
If they mention travel, you could share a highlight from a recent trip.
If you’ve both referenced sport, you might talk about the upcoming season or your own favourite team.
If they seem curious, offer a short story about why you enjoy your role, or how you came to work in the field.
These small personal details help turn a transactional conversation into a more natural, human interaction. Before long, the conversation starts to feel more like a relaxed exchange between colleagues than a formal meeting.
7. Start With Warmth, Not the Pitch
It’s tempting to dive straight into your solution. But rapport is about building connection first.
Begin with light, friendly conversation. A simple “How’s your day going?” or in the case of a video call, an observation about their office background, can set a relaxed tone.
These small exchanges often lead to shared experiences or mutual interests - the key ingredients for rapport.
Keep your body language open, your tone conversational, and your pace unrushed.
Remember: First impressions are as much about how people feel around you, as what you say.
8. What not to discuss
One word of advice – whatever you do, steer well clear of discussing sensitive, and potentially inflammatory topics such as politics, religion or controversial stories that are featuring prominently in the news.
The last thing you want to do is to offend the other person, and to engage in a heated debate with them.
Stick to safe and neutral topics, and keep everything nice, light, and bright.
In Closing
Meeting with prospects and clients should not be about being transactional and just “getting down to business.”
Speaking for the first few minutes on non-work-related stuff is a great way to ease into your meeting, connect at a human level, and to “break the ice.”
Business relationships depend a lot on easy, open, frank, and comfortable communication.
Creating this feeling of rapport is one of the keys to fostering any good relationship, whether in business or in life.
© 2025 Susan Weser. All rights reserved.
Susan Weser is the Founder of Speaking2Win, a boutique public speaking and presentation skills consultancy, based in Melbourne, Australia.
Susan’s mission is to demystify public speaking and presenting. She loves to fast-track her clients’ public speaking success, empowering them with the skills and confidence to excel in all their public speaking endeavours.
