Best Ways to Build Rapport for Personal & Professional Life
Sooner or later, we all learn to build rapport to achieve fulfillment and success. Greetings. I’m Ryan Zofay, an online life coach who teaches the art of public speaking and influencing others through rapport building.
Building rapport is the one skill that has radically transformed my personal and professional life. It’s the foundation that allowed me to move from being lost and disconnected to helping found and lead a nine-figure business while supporting thousands to find their path at We Level Up. If you’ve wondered how to build rapport, you’ll unlock one of the secrets to personal development and professional success.
Whether I’m coaching someone through a life-changing breakthrough or closing a multi-million-dollar business deal, the foundation is always the same: connection through rapport building. Connection starts with this one skill, but how do you build rapport with people, co-workers, customers, clients, and other groups?
What is rapport, exactly? And how do you build rapport with someone quickly, authentically, and with impact? Let’s dive into my secret sauce for compelling rapport-building success strategies you can count on.
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Table of Contents
How I Built Rapport to Level Up My Life, Business & Coaching
My life story and struggles in building rapport
If you’d told me years ago that I’d one day be coaching others on how to build rapport, I probably would’ve laughed. My early life was defined by brokenness—losing my parents and sister, battling addiction, and spending time incarcerated. I grew up feeling like I didn’t belong, that I wasn’t enough, and that trust was something other people had. But in those darkest moments, I realized that building rapport isn’t just about connecting with others—it’s about reconnecting with yourself first.
When I finally committed to changing my story, I discovered that building rapport was the foundation for leveling up my life, business, and business coaching. I started by being honest about my struggles, showing up with vulnerability, and listening deeply—first to myself, then to others. Whether I was building rapport with clients, my team, or even strangers, I learned that authenticity and empathy break down walls faster than any sales pitch or business strategy.
Through years of personal development, mentorship from leaders like Tony Robbins, and thousands of hours of real-life experience, I mastered the art of rapport building. It became the secret to my success: from closing life-changing business deals and scaling We Level Up into a nine-figure network, to building rapport with patients, clients, and students in my coaching programs. Every meaningful relationship I’ve built—personally and professionally—started with trust, respect, and a willingness to truly see and hear the other person.
If you want to build rapport that lasts, start by being real. Ask questions, listen more than speak, and don’t be afraid to share your story. Seek first to understand to be understood. Whether you’re building rapport with customers, patients, or peers, remember: connection is the key that unlocks growth, healing, and limitless potential. I’m living proof that no matter where you start, you can build the relationships that will level up your entire life.
My Best 5 Tips to Build Rapport
1. Be Genuinely Interested in Others
Personal Advice: When I started my journey, I realized people can sense when you’re just going through the motions. Ask open-ended questions, listen deeply, and show authentic curiosity about their story. Remember to stay humble but hustle hard. This creates a foundation of trust and respect. Finally, learn more about skillful communication and active listening.
2. Practice Mindful Presence
Personal Advice:
It’s easy to get distracted, especially in today’s world. I make it a point to put my phone away and focus entirely on the person in front of me. Being present shows you value the other person and builds an instant connection. Learn how to practice mindfulness and combine it with short daily guided meditation. Make these activities part of your miracle morning routine. But don’t stop here, discover Zen techniques for mindful communication, too.
3. Find and Speak to Common Ground
Personal Advice:
Whether working with clients, patients, or business partners, I always look for shared interests or experiences. Talking about the other person’s interests makes them feel seen and understood, which is the heart of rapport. Live in the present and find your passions to connect with others. Explore more about winning friends and influencing people.
4. Show Empathy and Vulnerability
Personal Advice: Coming from a background of loss and recovery, I learned that sharing my struggles and listening to others’ challenges creates powerful bonds. Don’t be afraid to open up—it invites others to do the same and deepens trust. As you overcome adversity, improvise, adopt, and overcome obstacles, dreaming the American dream while living your greatest life with good intentions. Read about emotional intelligence and relationship management
5. Follow Through and Be Consistent
Personal Advice: Rapport isn’t built in a single conversation—it’s earned over time. I strive to keep my word, follow up, and show up consistently. Reliability is the glue that turns first impressions into lasting relationships. See my tips for building trust and emotional intelligence
Building rapport is about being real, present, and consistent. Whether you’re connecting with clients, customers, or loved ones, these habits will help you create lasting relationships and level up every area of your life.
What Is Rapport
In simple terms, rapport is that invisible bridge between you and another person. It’s the unspoken understanding that says, “I get you. I see you. You can trust me. It’s not about manipulation or being overly charming. It’s about creating trust, resonance, and safety—the kind that opens the door for influence, growth, collaboration, and healing.
In my line of work—helping people break through limiting beliefs and build wildly successful lives—building rapport is often the first step. Without it, nothing else sticks.
Why Building Rapport Matters
When I think about everything that’s driven my transformation, it all comes back to connection or building rapport with people. Building rapport is more than a feel-good buzzword; it’s the glue that holds relationships, partnerships, and growth together. Whether guiding a struggling client, working with my team, or connecting with an audience at our events, real change happens when walls come down and trust is built.
What Does it Mean to Build Rapport?
Rapport building means creating a relationship of mutual trust and understanding. It’s about making others feel valued, heard, and respected, whether you’re networking, coaching, or showing up for loved ones. If you want to define building rapport, consider it laying the groundwork for every meaningful exchange.
The Top 10 Ways to build a rapport
Based on my struggles, victories, and years as a life coach, here are the ten most powerful strategies I’ve used to build life-changing connections.
Top 10 ways to build rapport for personal & professional Success
How do you build rapport? Uncover my top 10 principles to use every day. Let’s get to it. Here’s how I’ve learned to build a rapport with someone, whether it’s a stranger at an event, a client on a Zoom call, or a team member needing leadership:
1. Listen With Full Presence
You can’t fake genuine listening. People know when you’re drifting or already planning your next response. Push away distractions and focus entirely on the speaker. That’s how you show someone they matter. Need practice? Consider my productivity calculator and strengthen your strategies to limit distractions while connecting.
My Advice: Be Present and Listen Like It’s a Skill
Genuine rapport isn’t built through talking—it’s built through listening. Put the phone down. Make eye contact. Reflect on what you hear. Let them know, “I’m here with you, not just in front of you.”
2. Mirror and Match Energy
Rapport building isn’t about copying people. Subtle mirroring of body language, energy, or tone often sparks instant connection. It shows empathy and presence. Building rapport with clients, customers, or colleagues instantly improves when you tune in and reflect their vibe.
My Advice: Match their energy but remain authentic
This doesn’t mean copying someone—it means tuning in. If someone’s calm and grounded, meet them there. If they’re excited and animated, raise your vibe. This is mirroring and matching, a powerful NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) tool I often use.
Pro Tip: Watch their posture, speech pace, and tone—then subtly align.
3. Ask Authentic Questions
Forget robotic small talk. Ask thoughtful, open-ended questions that invite people to share more about themselves. Rapport-building questions like “What’s been most meaningful in your work lately?” open the door to genuine conversation.
My Advice: Make sure to ask rapport-building questions that matter
Forget surface-level small talk. People want to feel seen. Here are a few rapport-building questions I love:
- “What’s been lighting you up lately?”
- “What are you most proud of in your journey?”
- “What’s something you wish more people understood about you?”
These open the door for trust, authenticity, and honest conversation.
4. Share Your Vulnerability
For years, I felt like hiding my past would keep me safe. But real connections are built on truth. When you’re willing to share your struggles and breakthroughs honestly, others feel empowered to do the same.
My Advice: One of the fastest ways to build a rapport with someone is to go first. Share something honest about your journey. When people see you’re human, they’re more likely to open up to you.
If you’ve read my story, you know I didn’t come from privilege or perfection. I came from pain, struggle, and adversity. But being honest about that has created some of the deepest connections of my life.
5. Find Common Ground (Even Over the Phone)
Discover shared interests or values, even when speaking to someone you’ve just met (or building rapport with customers over the phone). “You grew up in New York? Me too. What part?” This creates bridges, not walls.
My Advice: Find Shared Values, Not Just Interests
It’s easy to bond over football or your favorite food. But to build lasting rapport, look for shared values—growth, family, freedom, purpose, service.
When two people share values, there’s a deeper level of alignment. You’re not just in the same room, but walking the same path.
6. Practice Empathy, Not Just Sympathy
To build a rapport with someone, you must meet them where they are. Try to understand, not just “feel sorry for,” their emotions and experiences. Say, “That sounds challenging, and I can see why you’d feel that way.”
My Advice: Empathy requires presence, not fixing. Don’t rush to solutions—sit with them in their experience. That’s where genuine connection is built.
Insight: People don’t want to be pitied—they want to be understood. Empathy builds bridges that sympathy can’t.
Pro Tip: When someone shares something vulnerable, resist the urge to relate immediately. First, reflect: “That sounds like it impacted you.” Then, if invited, share your story.
7. Use Positive Body Language
Smile. Make eye contact if it feels culturally appropriate. Nod as someone speaks. These simple, nonverbal signals help build rapport and make people feel at ease.
My Advice: Your body speaks louder than words. Use open posture, relaxed shoulders, and genuine facial expressions to communicate safety and presence.
Insight: Most people remember how you made them feel, not what you said. Your body language creates emotional memory.
Pro Tip: Uncross your arms, angle slightly toward the person, and lean in just a touch when they’re speaking—it signals engagement and trust.
8. Show Appreciation
Express genuine gratitude for a client’s time or a peer’s feedback. Appreciation is one of the quickest ways to deepen trust and create loyalty.
My Advice: Don’t wait for milestones to express gratitude. Acknowledge people in the moment, consistently and sincerely.
Insight: Recognition is the #1 driver of motivation in teams. When you appreciate people, you elevate them—and the relationship.
Pro Tip: Want to level it up? After a meeting, handwritten notes, voice messages, or a simple “I value your insight” go a long way. Adopt a gratitude attitude and practice gratitude journaling to enhance your day.
9. Stay Curious and Open-Minded
Building rapport isn’t a one-time event. It’s an ongoing process. Stay curious about others—not just their answers, but their dreams, fears, and what shapes their decisions.
My Advice: Curiosity keeps relationships fresh. Keep asking, keep learning, and keep growing together.
Insight: When people feel like a “project,” they shut down. When they feel like a mystery you genuinely want to understand, they open up.
Pro Tip: Replace “Why did you…” with “What inspired you to…”—it softens the tone and invites storytelling instead of defense.
10. Follow Up and Stay Consistent
Lasting rapport isn’t built in a day. Send a follow-up email, check in after a tough week, or remember key details about someone’s life. Consistency breeds connection.
My Advice: Consistency is trust in action. When you follow up, you show people they matter, beyond the moment.
Insight: People often forget what you said, but never forget that you remembered them.
Pro Tip: Use a simple CRM or calendar reminder to follow up with key connections. A thoughtful check-in a week later can turn a casual convo into a life-changing relationship.
Rapport Building Activities That Work In Any Setting
What are some rapport-building activities? Group workshops, icebreakers, team volunteering, or simply creating space for personal sharing are perfect ways to build connections with co-workers. Activities like a vision quest as part of team-building exercises are also ideal.
Sometimes, I use intentional rapport-building activities to open people up and deepen connection, especially in training teams, on stage, or at events. Here are a few that never fail:
- “I am…” circle shares: Everyone completes the sentence “I am…” with something personal. It’s powerful, quick, and humanizing. It’s also great for crafting I am affirmations.
- Value card sorting: People sort through core values and share their top 3. Great for teams.
- Partner walks: Walking side-by-side (vs. face-to-face) can ease tension and spark deeper convo.
These work in leadership retreats, masterminds, and even company culture sessions.
How Building Rapport Transformed My Journey
I wish I could tell you that building rapport was an instant skill for me. The truth? It took practice, humility, and a lot of listening. Early on, I struggled with trust and self-doubt. Founding We Level Up rehab centers taught me that connecting isn’t just about “winning friends”—it’s about making a real impact on every life you encounter.
I’ve seen firsthand how rapport building can:
- Open doors in business negotiations
- Deepen client trust and loyalty
- Build stronger teams and communities
- Transform sales conversations
- Help with recovery and personal growth
One of my favorite client stories was from a business owner who used these techniques to double her sales pipeline in three months by shifting her focus from “pitching” to connecting on a human level.
FAQs About Building Rapport
How do you build rapport with customers?
Take time to learn their needs, follow up consistently, and always listen before you sell.
How do you build a rapport with someone new?
Be genuinely interested. Ask meaningful questions. Look for non-obvious common ground. Remember old things while living in the moment.
Is there a shortcut to building quick rapport in sales or coaching?
There’s no “hack, ” but active listening, mirroring, and appreciation create fast trust.
The Real Power of Rapport
When you learn our methods of building rapport with clients, personal and professional relationships, you improve your communication and unlock the gateway to influence, trust, and deep fulfillment.
Rapport makes transformation possible in my coaching programs and personal development live seminars. It creates the safety people need to break down walls, rewrite their story, and step into greatness.
And it’s not just for coaches or entrepreneurs. It’s for anyone who wants to lead, love, and live with impact.
Your Next Step
Want to improve your leadership and communication? I invite you to an upcoming event. We will discuss human connection, emotional mastery, and the tools I’ve used to help thousands of people awaken their potential. Take this opportunity to become a transformational leader and develop world-class motivational and inspirational speaking skills to connect with others on stage and beyond.
Until then, practice the art of rapport, lead with love through servant leadership, listen deeply, and never underestimate the power of being present.
With connection, always —
Ryan Zofay
