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A Tip to Establish Instant Rapport

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by Greg Hague

A Tip to Establish Instant Rapport

establish raport

A world-class network of friends? To me, that’s job #1.

My friend Bruce says, “Deals don’t make you money, people do.”

How true. Whatever you want, someone else has.

These days the rage is about building a “list.” This often means accumulating a database of people through email campaigns.

My Choice?

I’d rather have 200 people who know me, care about me, and want to help me, than 200,000 who wish I’d quit clogging their email inbox.

But just getting out to meet people isn’t enough. It’s pointless to index people who aren’t interested in knowing you. With that in mind, here is a tip for hitting it off right off the bat:

Look like ‘em. Act like ‘em. Know what interests ‘em.

People are naturally attracted to those who look like them, act like them, and have similar interests.

I’m not suggesting that you change who you are. I am suggesting that you prepare in advance for the people you’ll meet. In the first 30 seconds, adjust to their body language and rhythm of speech.

Savvy Says . . .

“Deals don’t make you money – people do.”

 

*Next time I’ll be more specific with 9 PRACTICAL TIPS to hit it off right off the bat.

 

Thank God He Picked Me

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“If you have one true friend you have more than your share.”

—Thomas Fuller

by Greg Hague

1971. I was a college grad with a dream. Clarence Darrow. Silver tongue. Courtroom master. So off to law school I went in Washington D.C. An attorney. That would be me.

First day. First class. The professor’s first words? “Look at the person to your left, and then to your right… one of you won’t make it past the first year.”

friends then

Bob and Greg then.

I looked to my right — there sat Bob looking at me. No doubt we were both thinking the same. At the end of semester, who would remain?

A liberal, bold, outspoken kid from New York. A far cry from conservative, Catholic, Republican me. I soon learned most of my classmates were from the east coast. To them, I was a bit strange. I felt the same about them.

The first week, a law student mixer was planned. Bob was there. So was I. Someone suggested forming two informal law student softball teams. A way to blow off steam when we weren’t studying to avoid flunking out. READ MORE