So now I’m sharing Shaun’s nothing-held-back answers to those very questions — time-tested, proven tricks he used for years to set himself apart as the Big Fish in whatever pond he was in. Most people aren’t aware of them or simply ignore them. Except you, from now on...

Make no mistake... though Shaun’s specialty was short sales, the sneaky little tricks you’re about to learn can and should be applied to absolutely any real estate investing business, regardless of your niche or focus. Whether it’s short sales, REOs, commercial, landlord, land, tax liens, etc. ... basically, if you deal with people, then this is for you.

We’re going to talk about ways to help you eliminate your competition — your customers, banks, and anybody that you're dealing with will not want to work with anybody but you.

How?

By building instant rapport.

And when I say instant, I mean if you're not building rapport within the first 5 seconds, you're losing out on some of your rapport-building skills... and that could affect your deal later on down the road.

This applies to all people: whether you've met him/her before or if it’s your first time meeting, face to face or over the phone, homeowner or bank or real estate agent...

This is universal for every aspect of, not only real estate but all the people you meet in general.

So, how do you build instant rapport?

OK, that first 5 seconds is the most crucial time when you're being introduced or meeting someone for the first time. They’re pretty much summing you up within the first 5 seconds about:
•    whether or not they believe you
•    whether or not you're somebody they want to work with
•    whether or not you're full of it
•    whether or not they want to have a further conversation with you or whether the conversation ends right here

That all happens within the first 5 seconds. Truth.
So, how do you build rapport in those first 5 seconds to where people believe you, where people want to work with you, where people want to continue having that conversation and find out more about what it is that you have to offer them?

Well, it's pretty simple. And to demonstrate this, I just want you to think a little bit about a time in your life when you met someone and you hit it off with them really well; you immediately felt comfortable with them.
Think of that situation for a second:
•    What type of qualities did that person have?
•    What was it about them that made you feel comfortable with them right off the bat?
•    What was it about them that set them apart from somebody else?

Now, think of the opposite...
I know you've met people at times where you immediately felt turned off by them and didn’t feel connected with them. Maybe you immediately felt like they're out to get you or you just don't trust them even though you're not sure why.

What were the differences in the qualities of those two types of people?
Well, this is something that Shaun and his team studied over the years because there were times when they met someone and felt instantly connected with them. And that's a pretty cool feeling.

Not only does it feel like you just made a new friend instantly, but it feels like you can talk to that person about things that you don't normally talk about.
So, what is it that makes those two people different?

Well, as Shaun continued to study this, he noticed one major thing: The people he felt connected with were most like himself.
Sounds pretty simple, right?
But the truth of the matter is people like people who are most like themselves. Think about this...
Why is there racial profiling or hate crimes? People certainly don't go out and commit a hate crime against somebody who's just like themselves. No, they go out there and do a hate crime against somebody who's completely different — or at least seemingly very different than they are.

That's why there’s racial profiling, too. People don't like people who seem to be different. Now, whether or not that's true doesn't matter. What matters is what the person feels.
See, if that person feels like you're similar to them, you'll build rapport much quicker.

So, how do you get somebody to feel like you're similar to them?
And I don't mean where you manipulate who you are and change who you are as a human being. No, no. What I mean is a simple approach called mirroring and modeling. It’s something I now do when I meet somebody for the first time.

Mirroring and modeling is nothing more than simply being more like the person that you've just been introduced to without compromising who you are as a person.

I don't mean going in and changing who you are and being cheesy... I mean just being able to relate to the other person by being more like them.

How do you mirror and model?
When I talk about mirroring and modeling, I mean very specifically mirroring as though there's a mirror right up in front of you, and you're going to be physically, intellectually, and auditorily like the other person.
Think about this: If you're dealing with somebody who talks very fast and wants answers quickly and talks loudly... but you're talking slowly, quietly, all cool, calm, and collected — that person may not be able to relate to you because they want to get stuff done right now.

We want to mirror and model people not only in the intonation and speed of their speech but also in how loud and how fast they're speaking.

Conversely, if you’re dealing with somebody who is chill and you rush in and start explaining everything to them super-fast — you’re going to lose them right off the bat.

And that may be an extreme example, but it conveys my point clearly.
With a quiet, slow talker, when you slow down your speech and talk more like they're talking, you’re going to build more rapport with them much quicker than if you were loud.

Again, if someone is loud and all red in the face, and you’re shy and reserved — you’re going to get walked all over.

So, you have to adapt part of yourself at the moment so you can relate to the other person. It's as simple as that.

This is effective in person and on the phone.
That's how to build rapport through auditory mirroring and modeling.
We’ve also got the physical aspect.

Think about how people “talk” with their body language and gestures...
When you’re dealing with somebody who’s on the edge of their seat, leaning in, and their hands are all over the place... but you’re sitting back in your chair, hands on your lap — you won’t connect.

So, we can definitely also use our gestures and our physiological body to build rapport with people. Be a mime — just not the annoying ones who do that ‘I’m stuck in a box; I’m pulling in this long, heavy rope’ stuff.
It will allow you to connect with them in a more relatable way.

OK...

That’s gonna wrap up part 1.
Coming up soon is part 2, where we talk about asking the right questions, and part 3, about the different roles we assume during conversations. Stay tuned for those!

For now, go ahead and start practicing some mirroring and modeling; you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the positive results.