How do you build rapport and trust with a client who is skeptical or distrustful of your expertise?

Understand the reasons for such disbelief. It may be due to some past experiences or just a prejudice. Next steps may be planned accordingly.

It is helpful to understand that a client may have "burned" by a past experience. Setting clear expectations and defined outcomes will help ease the client's fears.

Listening is absolutely essential. Part of being effective is ensuring that you have heard and understand what the other party is saying. Several techniques can help with that.

I agree with this paragraph. An additional technic is to mirror what your interlocutor is saying; this helps in two ways: 1) your interlocutor feels they are being heard and 2) it is very effective to get them to talk about what really concerns them.

I agree, that active listening is key to building rapport, and equally important is framing responses with intention. It's important to communicate with confidence and demonstrate your knowledge and expertise so clients and partners begin to trust you. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, don't overpromise anything! Be realistic and transparent on how pain points will be handled.

The biggest contributor to credibility is delivering on commitments. Say what you are going to do, then do it, then review what was done to ensure expectations were met. Adjust as necessary.

In addition to actively listening and contributing your expertise, it is crucial to demonstrate empathy and understanding towards skeptical or distrustful clients. Put yourself in their shoes and acknowledge their concerns and reservations. Show that you understand their perspective and validate their emotions. By doing so, you create a safe and supportive environment where they feel heard and respected.

One of the most effective ways to build credibility is to say "No". "No" to potential missions that might be outside of your area of expertise and to focus on what you can deliver to high standards.

Allowing the individual the freedom of choice and giving them the expected outcome of those choices allows them to take ownership of the project. As a consultant, I am helping them build their dream, not my own dream. It is their business. They may do it differently than I would do it. That's okay. We work together to manifest their vision. Of course, if there is an obvious flaw, or something they may not considered in the plan, it is my duty to advise them. If they wish to push ahead, ultimately the choice is theirs.

The client's needs and desired outcomes are key. Helping them to see the vision, becoming part of the vision, is what brings an project to life. It should be a truly collaborative effort, after all, the client must be satisfied with the end product.

I agree with this and this is critical. I see my role as enabling my clients and I strongly believe in coaching to deliver sustainable and lasting solutions.

I agree with Nicole - the only rule when it comes to communicating with clients is to communicate in a way that works for them.

This is a strong start but it is a one size fits all solution and they rarely work consistently. To truly build trust and rapport, you need to understand the client and communicate to them in a way that honors their needs. Think about elevating the golden rule (simply put communicating to others in the way you would want to be communicated to) to communicating to your client in a way that honors them. So pay attention to the questions they ask and the pace of their responses, then you will know if they want more details, connection, speed, autonomy and their preferred mode of communication.

Consistency is also very important for challenging clients. You cannot measure up only sometimes - when applicable, setting a weekly consistent schedule is very valuable to establishing rapport and gaining trust.

Affirmations are critical to establishing rapport. Even if there is a challenging problem that must be addressed, pairing it with affirmations and celebrations is extremely helpful and should be phrased in a way that motivates the client to continue their "good" or successful behavior.

The most important lesson I have learned is to be firm with your recommendations, even if they may be met with resistance from your client. If you do what your client thinks is best and you acquiesce against your better judgement, your knowledge and expertise is not being leveraged. No one is successful. This is a difficult stance to take, but one I have found is worth taking.