A successful courtship starts with listening.

People love to be listened to. There is a direct relationship between the amount a prospect talks and the likelihood they will buy your products or services. The more someone talks, the more comfortable he or she becomes. The more comfortable he or she becomes, the more he or she will trust you. The more he or she trusts you, the stronger your bond becomes. The stronger the bond, the easier it is to get a commitment. In the book, "How to win friends and influence people", Dale Carnegie shares how he had met a prospective prospect at a dinner party. The prospect talked for about 3 hours and Dale Carnegie said only about two sentences during that time. At the end of the party the prospect was telling everyone what a great conversationalist Dale Carnegie was. Needless to say, the prospect hired Dale Carnegie.

Practice the skills of a good conversationalist.

Is your voice always monotone or do you speak enthusiastically?
Are you self centered or other oriented?
Do you try to dominate conversations?
Do you talk too much, over explain or lecture others?
Are you a complainer?
Do you talk to people about things they're interested in?
Do you smile, laugh easily, and respond to others genuinely?
Can you discuss subjects besides your job or your home life?
Do you get to the point quickly or do you go into excruciating detail?
Are you open, candid, direct and friendly?
Do you have good eye contact?
Are you and active or sympathetic listener?
Do you ask others open-ended questions that draw them out?
Do you ask others about how they feel about a subject?

Show genuine interest in the prospect

If the prospect is a little shy, warm him or her up by showing a genuine interest in them. Ask questions that don't directly pertain to the sale. This can make the prospect more inclined to purchase your product or service because he/she doesn't feel the pressure to make an immediate decision. In fact, his or her answers may reveal a need for another product or service that you offer. For example, you may talk about the adventures they had on a vacation many years ago and before you know it, they will become very interested in what else you have to offer. Dale Carnegie said it best, "You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get people interested in you."

Kill them with kindness

According to U.S. News and World Report, "Americans are ruder than ever." Simple kindness and good manners can greatly enhance your opportunity to win new customers and keep the customers you already have. Disneyland says it best in a statement they make to new employees. "We love to entertain Kings and Queens but the vital thing to remember is this, every guest receives the VIP treatment. It's not just important to be friendly and courteous to the public, it is essential! At Disneyland we get tired but never bored. And even if it is a rough day we appear happy. You've got to have an honest smile. It's got to come from within. To accomplish this, you've got to develop a sense of humor and a genuine interest in people. If nothing else helps, remember you get paid for smiling."

Use humor in your sales presentation

To get people to really like and feel comfortable with you use humor. This does not mean jokes, but funny stories about real life experiences or about the products or services that they want. Also, never make the customer the brunt of your humor. Always put it on yourself if necessary. Remember the AT&T rule. All humor should be appropriate, timely and tasteful.