NLP At Work : The Difference That Makes the Difference in Business

“The new economy has three distinguishing characteristics. It is

global. It favors intangible things—ideas, information, and

relationships. And it is intensely inter-linked. These three

attributes produce an new type of market place and society, one

that is rooted in ubiquitous electronic networks.”

Kevin Kelly, New Rules for the New Economy

If you think building rapport is just about matching people’s

behavior then think again. The skill of building and

maintaining rapport goes well beyond the level of body

language. Rapport involves not only relating to people face to

face but also remotely by appealing to their style of

communication and their expectations.

One of my clients received this email:

Jane

Have been looking further at the issue of your company’s fees—

which as you know, we are very concerned about. Your day rates

not only equal those of the parent company but my investigations

among my contacts have shown that they have increased

exponentially since 1999. I attach a comparison of your fees

today compared with those charged in a previous proposal that

you did for us a year earlier. Can you please justify to me:

1 Why you feel you can charge the same rates as the parent

company?

2 Why there has been such a movement upwards in fees over

the last two years please?

I feel very concerned about this. Thanks.

Wendy Smith

My client emailed back as follows:

Wendy

I have discussed the issues that you have raised with our parent

company and internally with our fee discussions regarding

company X. Please find attached a detailed explanation on both

of the points that you have mentioned which I hope will serve to

clarify our position on rates and illustrate that our rate increases

are actually quite different to those you have indicated. Once

you have had a chance to read this through I think it might be

290 NLP AT WORK

The skill of rapport goes well

beyond body language