Welcome to the Barry Farah Show, serving you to sell more. Follow at Barry Farah. Hello, I hope you're doing well. And welcome back. In the last episode, we continued the first step of the selling with integrity process, build rapport. In this episode, we're going to finish that first step by adding a sentence that turns a friendly greeting into a respectful process. So far, the greeting sounds like this. Hi, I'm Barry with Champion Air. I hope you're doing well. And you pause, let them say something, and then, so nice to meet you. You've identified yourself and your company, you've expressed some genuine concern, and you've created warmth and professional enthusiasm in less than 15 seconds. And that's pretty good. So you lowered the customer's threat detector and made room for thoughtful decision making. And that matters because the next sentence is the bridge. It moves the conversation from rapport into discovery without making the customer feel controlled. Now there's a lot of sales training out there that'll tell you to establish control right here. Get the customer to agree that you'll need 60 or 90 minutes, take command of the visit, set the agenda. Well, that can feel like pressure before the customers had a chance to settle in. And that is not how we sell with integrity. The customer invited you into their home. That invitation deserves honor. You're not there to take over the room. You're there to serve with clarity, humility, and genuine care. I learned this the hard way. Early in my sales career, I would walk up to a door focused on what I needed to accomplish and forgot that to the customer, I was a stranger. Their day had already started. They needed a calm signal. I learned I was way better off when I simply explained why I was at their front door and conveyed that I would treat them and their time with respect. So the fourth piece of this greeting is simple. You ask permission to confirm the customer's reason for the visit. And that's before you proceed. For service, may I confirm with you my company's notes on what's going on with the system today? For replacement, may I confirm that you would like to review options for a new unit? Simple, respectful, professional, but most importantly, organized. This question accomplishes several things. First, it communicates that your company's on top of it. Second, it confirms that you're in the right place for the right reason. Please don't assume that the customer's brain has resolved everything. They might be expecting an important delivery. Maybe dispatch captured one issue, but the customer has two. The humility of confirmation really does go a long way. And it's the permission transition toward discovery. Here's why. The amygdala, the part of the brain that detects threats and is bracing for the next scam, relaxes when it knows what's happening next and when it doesn't feel trapped. The permission transition does that with one simple phrase, may I confirm? It's really asking, can you confirm from me that I'm here to serve you for the right reason? That's way better than blurting out, I hear you need some help, what's the problem? That puts the customer on defense. The brain is scanning for uncertainty. Why is this person here? Am I about to be pressured? But when you ask permission to confirm the company's notes, you're leading in a way that gives the customer room to participate. People resist when they feel controlled, but they relax when they feel respected. This is the opposite of manipulation. Manipulation tries to bypass the customer's judgment. This step encourages it. You're giving them room to compare options and make decisions. And that's exactly what you want. By asking this question, you give them a predictable sequence that calms people. You're organized, not random, and at this point, you're still near the front door, standing properly, hands visible, with kind eye contact and a respectful tone. If they've not already invited you in, this is usually where they will. And before you even discuss the notes, how long has all of this taken? Less than 60 seconds. These four pieces of building rapport have a deliberate sequence. Identify yourself and your company, convey polite concern, convey warmth and gentle optimism, and then ask permission to confirm the reason for the visit. That sequence isn't a script to hide behind, it's a leadership discipline that helps you begin every call with respect. This sequence gives every customer the same respectful runway. It helps analytical customers know what's happening, cautious customers feel safe, relational customers feel seen, and decisive customers know you're not wasting time. When customers hear themselves state the reason out loud, the problem begins to organize in their mind. They're no longer just hearing you present a solution, they're now engaged. You bring industry expertise, you guide the process, but the customer makes the decision with reasons that they own. So let's build rapport. It's the foundation for the remainder of the call. So let's put the whole sequence together. Hi, I'm Barry with Champion Air. I hope you're doing well. A little pause. So nice to meet you. May I confirm with you my company's notes on what's going on with the system today? Or for a replacement, may I confirm that you'd like to review options for a new unit. In this permission transition toward Discovery, you respect the customer by asking permission, you complete the process by confirming the reason for the visit, and you elevate the standard by making the first minute feel calm, organized, and professional. Next time we're going to move into Discovery how to ask questions that uncover the real issues without overwhelming the customer. Until then, respect the person, complete the process, and elevate the standard. I hope that'll equip you to make a difference today. Thank you for listening. Follow Barry Farah on your favorite podcast platform at Barry Farah.