Grehalva argues that rapport is a prerequisite for consultative selling, not an optional social nicety. Without rapport, the customer will not share the real information the salesperson needs to understand their situation. They will give guarded, socially acceptable answers rather than honest ones. The consultative model depends entirely on honest information, so rapport is not a warm-up to the real conversation. It is the condition that makes the real conversation possible. Rapport is built through four specific mechanisms, Grehalva argues. Matching and mirroring: unconsciously synchronising with the other person's body language, speech rhythm, tone of voice, and energy level. People feel most comfortable with people who seem like them. This is not mimicry; it is natural synchronisation that happens in all close relationships and can be cultivated deliberately. Genuine curiosity: asking about the other person's situation, interests, and priorities with genuine interest in the answers, not as a technique. People can tell the difference between performed interest and real interest with high accuracy. Real curiosity cannot be faked; it has to be cultivated. Finding common ground: identifying shared experiences, values, or concerns that establish a sense of 'we' rather than 'you and me.' Common ground does not have to be deep or personal; even a shared observation about a situation creates a moment of alignment. Honest self-disclosure: appropriate sharing of one's own perspective or experience. Vulnerability and honesty from the salesperson create permission for the same from the customer.