How to build rapport with customers & establish trust

Whether you’re kicking off a brand-new relationship or working with a customer you’ve known for years, building rapport with clients is key. It’s what turns a transactional interaction into a long-term partnership.

And, when loyalty is harder to earn than ever, those personal touches can make all the difference.

True loyalty, the kind that’s built on emotional connection rather than discounts or incentives, is on the rise. In fact, emotional loyalty grew by 26% between 2021 and 2024, reaching 34% in 2024—a clear sign that people are sticking with brands that get them.

Strong client relationships help everything run more smoothly—from clearer communication to easier collaboration and better results on both sides.

In this guide, we’re sharing 14 simple (but seriously effective) ways to:

• Establish rapport with clients at the start of the relationship
• Continue building rapport with clients into the mature stages of your relationship
• Solidify rapport with a long-time client
  

1. Leverage the history this client already has with sales.

When it comes to building rapport with clients, the first conversation sets the tone. But remember—you’re likely not the first person from your company they’ve spoken to. Most clients already have a relationship with your sales team and have shared key details like their business goals, current challenges, and company background.

Instead of asking them to repeat themselves, review the notes and interactions already logged in your CRM. This gives you a full picture of the client’s journey so far and helps you continue the conversation with context and confidence.

CRMs like Copper make it easy to access past emails, meeting notes, and key touchpoints—all in one place. By showing that you’ve done your homework, you instantly create a smoother handoff and start building a stronger client relationship from day one.

In Copper, for example, it’s easy to search for any contact and instantly view their full history—from emails and calls to meeting notes and files. The Activity tab acts like a running timeline, so every touchpoint from the sales process is right there when you need it.

Need more clarity? You can leave comments directly on the contact record and tag teammates for input—no digging through Slack or sending follow-up emails. Plus, Copper’s Google Workspace integration automatically syncs events, emails, and files, so nothing slips through the cracks.

This level of visibility helps your whole team stay aligned and creates a clear, cohesive picture of the client’s journey: where they’ve been, what they care about, and why they chose to work with you.

Instead of making clients repeat themselves, you can pick up the conversation exactly where sales left off—making it easier to build rapport and strengthen the client relationship from day one.

2. Understand their big picture, and become a part of it.

You've prepared in advance by checking out past notes and communication on this client. Now, show them you know their situation by referring to some of those important details.

For example, start by quickly recapping what you understand about their company goals, biggest pain points, and their current situation.

By summarizing these key points, you establish empathy in that you know their business and where they're coming from, which puts you in the perfect position to help them move forward.

Then, it's time to let them talk and for you to start listening.

Get them to open up and fill in the rest of the details by asking them open-ended questions, such as:

• "Where do you see your company in five years?"
• "What's the biggest obstacle you're facing right now?"
• "How have you tried to work around that?"
• "Do you feel like your boss understands the challenges your team is facing right now?"
• "How will using our product affect your goals?"

Work to broaden your knowledge of the client, their goals for the future, and how you can help them reach those goals.

4. Always keep your word.

This is essential at the beginning of any strong relationship, as it helps you establish mutual trust.

So, keep your word in both big and small things. If you set a time for a meeting or a phone call, don't change it at the last second. Show up on time. Deliver the information and solutions that you promised.

If you find that you're constantly rescheduling phone calls or you just can't seem to make your meetings on time, it may be time to revise your work schedule. Keep a Google Calendar that clearly shows when you are available and when you're not, and set reminders so you're never late.

You can also use your CRM to send links that allow clients to choose an available time on your calendar (which means less back-and-forth emailing for you).

In Copper, for example, this automatically creates an event in your Google Calendar , meaning you'll never forget an appointment:

5. Establish your expertise.

Your clients should feel like they're working with someone who knows the subject matter inside out.

For example, if your focus now is to help them learn the product, you should have some sort of framework that you use to guide them through the process of educating them and making them experts on your product. You could have a logical order to help them learn the different features of your product, specific resources you'll use, and a clear end goal.

Remember, your job is to come in as an advisor with a unique perspective. Although you'll never be an expert in all of your customers' different industries, you can become an expert in how those different customers can benefit from your product.

To be a true expert, it's essential for you to know your product inside and out. If you feel you're lacking in practical knowledge, take the product out for a spin yourself.

This will help you provide practical and insightful advice to customers that come to you for help.

6. Either have a plan prepared, or build one together.

Sometimes if you're lucky, you'll already have a clear plan set out in advance to onboard a new client.

Other times, the process may be a bit more complicated.

In these cases, make a plan together with the client. This should be done with a well organized call that sets clear, tangible goals for the steps forward.

At the end of the initial conversation, schedule a follow up to monitor the process and reach goals on time. Getting off to a good start is essential in developing rapport with a current or new customer.

7. Don’t start a call talking about the weather.

With a client you already know, there may come a point where you feel that you're just not sure how to start a conversation, either in person or on the phone.

Instead of casual conversation like small talk, have something interesting to talk about as soon as they say, "Hello." Before your phone call, for example, spend a few minutes researching your client's industry. Or, find some interesting information about a hobby they mentioned last time.

You might even find that you're going through a similar situation at work. Maybe they're dealing with burnout , or trying to find ways to take advantage of their commute time. Why not show genuine interest by sharinge pointers or articles you've been reading on similar subjects?

This promotes a candid, open atmosphere, and helps build a real relationship with your client.

8. Proactively send them useful content.

You don't have to wait until your planned phone call or meeting to share something interesting with your client.

Instead, keep tabs on what's going on in their world, and be ready to send them interesting news articles, podcasts, or other content that's relatable to them.

Then, shoot them an email that looks something like this:

For example, try setting up Google Alerts that send you information on that client's industry every week:

These automated alerts can help you find relevant information that your client is interested in-that isn't directly related to making a sale. When you can talk about subjects beyond just the product you're selling, this will help build the personal relationship you have with your point of contact.

That way, the next time you're on a call, you can talk as friends rather than just an account manager.

9. Keep all of your notes in your CRM.

Unfortunately, our memory is imperfect. So, we need to keep all of our client information categorized and stored in a CRM.

For example, we use Copper to sync documents from Google Workspace and log notes for meetings and phone calls. That way, we never forget any essential piece of information:

Notes like these can help you to remember questions that were raised, or tasks that you need to complete. By reviewing these detailed notes, you'll provide timely solutions to your customers and remember points to discuss in your next conversation.

10. Recognize your client’s contributions to strengthen the relationship

A big part of building rapport with clients is making them feel valued—not just as a customer, but as a collaborator. If your point of contact finds a new way to use your product or helps streamline a process, acknowledge it. Bring it up in your next meeting, especially if their manager is present.

Giving credit where it’s due shows that you’re not just there to check boxes—you’re invested in their success. And clients remember who supports them.

11. Be honest and candid—it builds stronger client relationships

If a client asks a question and you don’t know the answer, say so. Honesty builds credibility, and credibility builds trust. Trying to fake it can do more harm than good.

Being upfront about what you can and can’t solve right away is one of the simplest and most effective ways of building rapport with clients. It shows integrity, keeps communication real, and helps form long-term, trust-based relationships.

12. Be more than a vendor—become part of their team

The best client relationships are built when you’re seen as more than just support—you become an extension of their team. When a client has a problem or needs advice, you’re the one they come to. That kind of reliability is key to building rapport with clients.

Even if a customer isn’t actively reaching out, don’t assume everything’s running perfectly. Keep in touch, ask how things are going, and offer helpful suggestions—even before they ask. Whether it's a quick tip, a new feature they might like, or just checking in, that steady presence builds loyalty and keeps the relationship strong.

The more clients feel like you’re on their side, the more trust and long-term value you create together.

13. Show genuine interest in their business

One of the easiest ways to start building rapport with clients is by showing you care about their business beyond the basics. Go deeper than just knowing what they sell—get curious about how they operate and what challenges they’re working through.

Follow their business on LinkedIn, set Google Alerts to stay up to date on major announcements, and ask thoughtful questions about their strategy. When you can reference a recent blog post they wrote or congratulate them on a company milestone, it signals that you’re paying attention—and that you’re invested in the relationship.

Taking that extra step helps shift the dynamic from transactional to collaborative.

14. Build rapport on a personal level, too

Strong client relationships aren’t built on product updates alone—they’re built on real, human connection. That doesn’t mean you need to become best friends, but showing a little personal interest can go a long way.

Mention something small from your own life—a weekend plan, a pet story, or your kid’s soccer game—and open the door for your client to share, too. If they’re traveling, ask how the trip went. If they’re celebrating something big, remember to follow up.

Over time, these small moments create a stronger bond—and help you keep building rapport with clients that feels natural, not forced.

Really, building rapport with clients is something you never stop doing. As soon as you stop checking in or adding value, the relationship can start to fade.

Even in a time when client loyalty is harder to earn, it’s absolutely possible to build strong, lasting connections. The tactics shared here aren’t complicated—but they do take consistency, attention, and a genuine effort to understand and support your clients.

Put in the work, and you’ll see the results: stronger trust, better client relationships, and customers who stick with you for the long haul.

Need a tool to help you stay on top of it all? Copper is built to make relationship-building easier—right inside Google Workspace. Track conversations, share notes with your team, and never miss a follow-up.

Try it free for 14 days and see how Copper helps you build better client relationships, one connection at a time.