NLP Techniques for Successful and Instant Rapport

In our previous post, we talked about the four pillars of NLP that will help you propel to achieve your desired outcome and attain success no matter what aspect in your life. One of those pillars is establishing Rapport. And in the course of your self-discovery, you will read, hear and see this valuable component of NLP. After all, communicating with others is an essential piece of the bigger pie that encompasses what Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) is all about. Also, self-transformation is not all about refining the inner workings of your mind and psyche, but it is also about projecting that positive change outwardly to the people around you.

Importance of Rapport

If you take a good look at it, Rapport is power. Creating and establishing rapport is fundamentally a building block in starting communication and converting it into a warm and fruitful relationship. It creates a level of trust and understanding and solicits the process of responsiveness at the unconscious level.

NLP takes a different perspective when it comes to communication, in that it is also about the response that you get and not just merely about the message that you send out. A rewarding and effective exchange of ideas and messages can be achieved if you are in sync or at the same wavelength with the person you are interacting with. And this can be realized with rapport. No matter whether you agree or disagree, when you are in rapport with someone, you can still be able to relate and connect harmoniously with that person.

Mastering the skill of building rapport can practically be beneficial for anyone, whether you are a salesperson sealing the deal, a couple rekindling your romantic relationship or even a life coach who wants to inspire others.

The Key Points of NLP Rapport

One of the foundations of rapport is establishing sincerity with the person you are talking or relating to. More than the verbal words, a huge chunk of creating rapport greatly depends on how you say it. This can be translated in the body language and the quality of voice that you use and take notice when relating or conversing with another person. These non-verbal nuances are key indications that you can use to take a genuine interest in knowing what is important to another person. This means that for rapport to work, it is always best to start to understand their model of the world rather than expecting them to understand yours first. This way you are able to see what their underlying intention or aim is.

Rapport Techniques

Rapport techniques sought in NLP is based on the general concept of similarity. After all, most people trust and are drawn to others who are like them, right? This is because we trust people who are like us. That is why NLP Rapport techniques take advantage of this very human nature. Two of the most common and widely used techniques in building rapport are Modeling and Matching. Each of these NLP Rapport concepts holds different purposes and uses varying methods.

Modeling

One of the key concepts in NLP is taking on models of success for you to emulate. However, when it comes to Rapport techniques, Modeling takes on a slightly different meaning. This known and most used technique consists of you taking on a type of behavior that you want others to emulate by showing them the way. This means that instead of modeling after others, you let yourself be the model of behavior to achieve a positive outcome or decision from the person you are relating to.

Modeling is an excellent technique to bring out the other person from a particular state of mind or thought by suggesting roles and creating a positive expectancy. This is an excellent rapport technique for sales people who want to convince others into buying a product. This involves acting in a way you want others to act and saying words or things you want others to also say. You can also incite responses by asking them questions that will provoke others to answer positively.

While Modeling can be a bit challenging for some, achieving rapport and the desired response will definitely be rewarding.

Mirroring

However, when Modeling does not work, you can always rely upon the Mirroring Technique. Again, you should remember that rapport involves understanding. You can start by channeling perceived understanding of what the person is expressing or relating to you through naturally pacing or following how the other person is communicating to you.

This can be achieved by understanding Modalities or representational systems. This simply means whether the person you are talking to is Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic or Auditory Digital. Each of these Modalities has their idiosyncrasies, which you can take advantage and emulate to draw the response that you desire. This is yet another interesting component of NLP, which we will discuss more in future posts.

For simpler basis, you can also “mirror” a person’s hand gestures, facial expressions, voice tone, volume and timber, breathing or even relating to common experiences, such as hobbies or beliefs. Mirroring demonstrates a degree of understanding that you are in agreement with the other person or shows a level of sympathy to the person. However, it should be noted that Mirroring should be used sparingly and with subtlety.

Other Successful Rapport Tips

Modeling and Mirroring takes practice and will require a great understanding of one’s self and of others. However, there are simple NLP Rapport tips that you can always take in mind and can immediately apply to your daily lives. Some are even, let us just say, common sense.

1. Be attentive to what the other person is saying, both in words and non-verbal actions.
2. Always use positive projection. Take on a mental attitude that beseechs the outcome, desire or decision that you want to reach.
3. Do not interrupt the person you are talking to and listen attentively. This not only solicits respect, but also shows your genuine interest to what the person wants to tell you.
4. Understand that others may not be able to express better than you can. So, listen to the ideas of the person, rather than the words used. Remember, ideas can also be read from the person’s gestures, body language and facial expressions.
5. Always be flexible. Learn to adjust yourself to make others feel more at ease when talking or relating with you.

These are just some of many NLP techniques you can use to make that genuine connection with every person that you encounter. And more importantly, Rapport is not just entirely about relating yourself with others, but it also involves introspection and understanding connection even with your own self.

If you want to learn more Rapport techniques, you can take part in the Free NLP Sharing Session to see that interesting facets of NLP that can change your life. NLP Singapore Coach Jacky Lim will personally sit down with you in this intimate 2-hour session. This is an excellent stepping stone before making that first leap to changing your life by enrolling yourself in the NLP Practitioner Training Certificate Course. Call now and reserve your seat!