I would suggest connecting with someone far above you in sales skills, get them to critique, and correct your mistakes, and record every session. Then record "real" sales calls, and when you flub up because you forget a step, you can listen back to your practice sessions with a pro and see where you need to correct your aim.

Traditional rapport building is complete garbage. Most salespeople think rapport means chatting about the weather, asking about their weekend, or finding some random connection like "Oh, you went to Ohio State too? Go Buckeyes!" That's not rapport, that's wasting everyone's time and making yourself sound like every other salesperson who calls them. Real rapport happens when someone feels like you actually understand their world and the problems they're dealing with. It's not about being their buddy, it's about demonstrating that you've done your homework and you're worth talking to. When I start a call, I'm leading with something that shows I know their business, their industry, or their specific situation. Instead of "How's your day going?" try something like "I noticed your company just expanded into three new markets this quarter. That kind of growth usually creates some interesting challenges around scalability. Is that something you're dealing with right now?" Now you've got their attention because you're talking about something that actually matters to them. The goal isn't to make them like you personally. The goal is to make them curious about what you know that they don't. People pay attention when they think you might have insights that could help them solve problems or capitalize on opportunities they're facing. Here's the thing: prospects can tell within the first thirty seconds whether you're going to waste their time or bring them value. Skip the small talk and get straight to demonstrating that you understand their world. That's how you build real rapport that leads to actual conversations instead of polite brush-offs.

Pitch slapping prospects as I still see the masses doing is a huge turnoff for prospects.

RP