From: alexhormozi
The principle of liking, often referred to as rapport, is a powerful persuasion tool. People are more likely to be persuaded by individuals they like and wish to emulate [00:05:49]. Essentially, the more you like someone, the more inclined you are to agree to their requests [00:05:45].
Core Principles
- Mutual Affection People tend to like those who like them, or those they perceive as friends [00:05:43].
- Power of Compliments Even when individuals knew they were receiving paid compliments from strangers, they still developed a greater liking for those who complimented them compared to those who didn’t [00:05:54]. This suggests that the effect of flattery works even if the recipient is aware of its intent [00:06:07].
- Genuine Flattery There’s seemingly no limit to the amount of flattery someone will accept, provided it is perceived as genuine [00:06:12].
Application in Business and Sales
The ACA Framework
A practical method for building liking and rapport, especially in sales or associative situations, is the ACA framework [00:06:17]:
- Acknowledge What the other person says. This demonstrates active listening and attention, which people highly value [00:06:20], [00:06:29].
- Compliment What they did in relation to what they said, connecting it to a positive attribute of theirs [00:06:21], [00:06:37].
- Ask The next question to guide the conversation forward [00:06:23], [00:06:41].
Personal Anecdotes on Building Rapport
The speaker shares personal tactics used in their own business to build rapport and increase sales:
- Mini Trampoline When conducting 20+ in-person consultations daily, a mini trampoline was kept next to the desk. Bouncing on it during meetings, despite appearing “like a psychopath” to some, made people close more deals. It’s difficult to be in a bad mood on a trampoline, and this lightheartedness positively influenced clients [00:06:45].
- Cartwheel Greeting Prior to using the trampoline, a cartwheel was performed every time before shaking a client’s hand upon their entry into the gym. This unexpected, humorous action immediately made clients laugh and like the speaker, leading them to buy [00:07:09].
These tactics demonstrate that when clients liked the speaker, they were more inclined to transact, often buying the “feeling” conveyed during the conversation rather than just the service itself [00:07:25].