AI can do a lot, but it’s ineffective when it comes to building relationships with prospects. Even though creating connections is important, most sellers tend to struggle with this.
I invited my guest, Ravi Rajani, a sales coach and author of Relationship Currency, to join me in this episode to discuss his newest book. He shares what inspired him to write this book and why sellers need to focus more on building relationships to create strong pipelines.
The Origins of "Relationship Currency"
· To start, Ravi discusses what inspired him to write his first book. He shares a funny story about talking to his mentor about the idea of writing a book while having a second baby on the way.
· Looking back on his career and life, he noticed how much his relationships influenced his success. He learned that by building trust and communication skills, other sellers can achieve the same success.
The Central Role of Trust
· Would you be friends with your bestie if you didn't trust them? Your prospects feel the same way when it comes to doing business with you.
· Trust is the glue that holds relationships together. In his book, Ravi talks about the "Three Cs" of trust:
o Connection (the emotional bond)
o Character (your invisible values)
o Competence (showing expertise without being overbearing)
· You need all three to establish lasting trust, whether with clients, colleagues, or partners.
The Art of Listening and Empathetic Questions
· Ravi explains how surface-level questions yield surface-level relationships, but conscious questions develops deep relationships.
· A “conscious question” is rooted in positive intent and service. For example, instead of “How are you?” ask something you know the other person is emotionally invested in.
Five Habits to Build Relationship Currency
· Here are the five habits that help build the Three Cs:
o Transform Your Internal Story: The relationship you have with yourself sets the tone for all others.
o Ask Conscious Questions: Rooted in service and positive intent; paired with deep listening.
o Unearth Your Charisma: True charisma makes others feel significant.
o Tell Stories That Inspire Change: Especially social proof stories—show, don’t tell.
o Become the Trusted Guide: Help others achieve their goals without self-interest, bringing all habits together.
Ravi’s Advice for Leaders: Model the Change
· If you want your team to be more passionate or authentic, you need to model that energy and intention yourself.
· Reinforce these behaviors by acknowledging team members who practice them.
· Genuine compliments go a long way—they activate the same brain areas as financial rewards!
“I believe that the only currency that has mattered is relationships. And the only currency that will matter moving forward is relationships, especially in a world increasingly being shaped by AI.” - Ravi Rajani.
Resources
Ravi Rajani
Book | Speaker, Coach & Consultant | Ravi Rajani
Ravi Rajani’s mission is to help B2B tech sales teams ditch feature dumping for storytelling so they can get their prospect’s attention, become trusted advisors and win more relationships.
Sponsorship Offers
1. This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot.
With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales.
2. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn.
Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.
3. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation.
Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin.
Credits
As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.
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