How to Build Instant Connections in Sales

Your first 60 seconds on a sales call can make or break the close. Most reps open calls like this: “How’s your day going?” “Crazy weather lately, huh?” Harmless? Sure. But it wastes valuable time and sets the wrong tone. Your prospect didn’t book a call to talk about the weather. They booked because they’re curious if you can solve their problem. The best reps know this and they build trust from the get go. Here are 3 call openers I’ve used to instantly establish authority & connection on sales calls 👇 1. “Just so I understand where you’re coming from—what made you take the call today?” This one flips the dynamic. You’re not chasing. You’re curious. It invites the prospect to open up and gives you gold: context, motivation, and urgency all in one question. No small talk. Straight to the signal. 2. “Out of curiosity—why now?” Timing is everything in sales. If someone booked a call, something triggered it. Your job is to find out what. This question helps surface pain points fast, without sounding pushy or scripted. You’ll learn what’s happening in their world right now—and that’s where the real sale lives. 3. “Before we dive in—mind giving me the 60-second recap of where you’re at?” This one does 2 things at once: ✅ Puts the prospect in the driver’s seat ✅ Shows them you value their time and context It feels casual, but it gives you everything you need to tailor the rest of the conversation. These 3 openers have shortened my sales cycles, reduced objections, and made calls feel more like collaborations than interrogations. In remote sales, trust isn’t built at the end of the call. It’s built in the first few minutes. Set the tone. Lead with intention. Ask better questions.

How I Learned to Turn LinkedIn Connections into Clients When I first jumped on LinkedIn for business, I made the classic rookie mistake. You know what I did? I'd connect with someone and immediately hit them with my sales pitch. ! (Yes, I was once a pitch-slapper😱) Through trial and error, I discovered what actually works, and it's all about building relationships step by step. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗢𝗻𝗲 - 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 - was all about getting on people's radar. Instead of selling, I started sharing genuinely helpful content about common challenges I knew my potential clients faced. More importantly, I engaged with their posts, adding thoughtful comments and insights. Pretty soon, I noticed more profile views and my network started growing organically. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗧𝘄𝗼 - 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 - was the game-changer. I began sharing success stories... not long, boring case studies, but relatable wins from working with clients. I'd wrap up each post with a question to spark discussion. That's when things got interesting! People started reaching out, asking if similar solutions could work for their business. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 - 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 - was where it all came together. Whenever someone engaged meaningfully with my content, I'd send them a personal message, mentioning something specific from their profile or their comment on my post. No sales pitch, just starting a genuine conversation. (LinkedIn InMail worked well for connecting with 2nd and 3rd-degree connections.) 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 I started having 2-3 meaningful conversations every week which naturally led to sales calls. Here's why it worked: I wasn't focused on selling - I was building trust one interaction at a time. Now, I know what you might be thinking - "This sounds like it takes forever!" And yes, it does require some patience. But trust me, once you build that momentum, the leads start flowing in consistently. The key is not rushing those initial steps. If you're struggling to turn your LinkedIn connections into actual conversations, give this approach a shot. It completely transformed my approach to LinkedIn, and it might just do the same for you. What do you think? Have you tried any of these strategies on LinkedIn?

Most reps’ first question is “Why did you book a call?” Mine is “Where did you find us?” Because the source tells you how to sell: 1. Google search → Ask: “Who else did you find?” “When are you meeting them?” You’ll instantly learn timeline + competitors. 👉 Frame your pitch around comparative value, what makes you different or safer to choose. They came to evaluate, not to decide, help them choose you. 2. Referral / Recommendation → Ask who referred them, and thank them by name. These are 80% won if you don’t break trust. Be human, consultative, patient. 👉 Keep the process clean and frictionless, they’re not just buying your product, they’re validating the referrer’s judgment. 3. Social / Podcast / LinkedIn They already trust your brand and energy. → Ask what caught their attention - story, post, idea? Then mirror it in your tone and approach. 👉 If they found you through value content, sell with value again, not pressure. 4. Past client → Ask about their last experience. If it was great, use it: “What did you love most?” If not, rebuild: “What do you wish was better last time?” 👉 This is a trust test. Nail this call, and you rewrite your brand story in their mind. 5. Event / Partner / Webinar → Ask what made them book and what resonated. These are top-of-funnel leads, curious but not urgent. 👉 Anchor your pitch on the insight or moment that clicked for them, they need to feel continuity from the event to your call. 6. Outbound → Inbound Mention your last touch: → “Glad we reconnected, remember our email about X?” 👉 It builds instant continuity. They already know you, now you just need to prove you were worth remembering. Every inbound story hides your next sales advantage. You just have to ask where it started. Save this before your next inbound call. 👇 What’s your first qualifying question? Follow me @Jonathan Molina for more sales strategies

A client recently told me, “We’ve always done things this way, but now nothing’s clicking. What changed?” The answer is simple: The market evolved. Customer behaviors shifted. But their strategy didn’t adapt. Once we reevaluated their strategy, we made some key adjustments, and the impact was immediate: engagement spiked by 35%, inbound leads doubled, and they secured their largest deal to date. B2B doesn’t have to be cold or formulaic. Sales and marketing should never feel like a one-sided pitch. They’re about building authentic, human connections. I like to call this the “Connection-Driven Growth Approach.” Here’s how you can apply it: 🔸Listen First, Talk Later • Instead of pushing your message right away, start by listening to what your audience needs and struggles with. • Understand their challenges to craft a solution that resonates. How this helps: Builds trust and helps you tailor your messaging to what actually matters to them. 🔸Be Transparent and Authentic • Show your true values by sharing behind-the-scenes content, and admit when things go wrong. • Let your audience see the human side of your brand—people connect with authenticity. How this helps: Builds rapport and makes your brand more relatable and trustworthy. 🔸Share Stories, Not Just Stats • Use stories that showcase how your product or service makes a real difference in people’s lives. • Focus on the emotional connection your product creates, not just features. How this helps: Makes your brand more memorable and emotionally engaging, fostering a deeper connection. 🔸Engage in Meaningful Conversations • Don’t just broadcast—respond to comments, ask questions, and participate in discussions. • Show genuine interest in your audience’s opinions and experiences. How this helps: Encourages more engagement, builds relationships, and helps turn followers into loyal customers. 🔸Focus on Value, Not Sales • Share helpful tips, educational content, or useful resources before ever trying to sell. • Provide real solutions to your audience’s problems, not just your product. How this helps: Builds trust, adds value to your audience’s lives, and leads to long-term relationships that convert into sales. The truth? Growth doesn’t come from pushing products. It comes from fostering relationships and delivering real value. What’s one way you’re building connections in your marketing right now? Drop a comment! ⸻ ♻️ REPOST if this resonated with you! ➡️ FOLLOW Rheanne Razo for more B2B growth strategies, client success, and real-world business insights.

I hear all the time from my clients that they don’t like networking because it feels insincere or inauthentic. But with the right approach, it doesn’t have to be that way. Transactional approaches to pitching yourself or your business are not how connections are made. Instead, you need a relationship-first approach that prioritizes curiosity, authenticity, and empathy. I call this activating the connection. A successfully activated connection in, let's say, a business meeting environment, is someone who leaves the meeting trusting you, willing to support you, and ultimately comfortable recommending you to others. Here are the 8 steps to activating the connection in a meeting: 1 - Know your intention Clarify the goal of the meeting to yourself before starting. 2 - Warm it up Start by building rapport before getting into the meat n’ potatoes of the meeting. 3 - Elevate your vibe 90% of communication is non-verbal. Make sure your non-verbal communication is on point. 4 - Focus on them, not you Resist the urge to talk solely about yourself, particularly during the rapport-building stage.  5 - Bring questions Prepare ahead of time so you can ask great questions and display thoughtfulness and curiosity. 6 - How can I help? Express, within reason, how you can support the recipient by helping them achieve their goals. 7 - Share your vision with clarity and resonance If the situation calls for it, pitch the person with your vision of how you can help. 8 - Trust and credibility Trust and credibility are an ongoing process that extends beyond the first meeting. End the meeting by clarifying the next steps and following through with your word. That’s it! Remember, your success isn’t just based on what you say, but on how you make others feel. Good luck!