Listening = Success

The best advice I was ever given when it comes to sales is simply this:

You have two ears and one mouth, use them in that order.

Listening builds trust.

Listening builds rapport.

Listening allows you to gather information.

Listening allows you to learn more.

Listening is the key to winning in sales.

Listening means you are focused on the other person.

Listening does not mean you are waiting for your turn to speak or that you are focused on yourself.

Listening means you are focused on the other person with all of your senses.

Listening does not mean you are reading a new article or checking your phone while the other person is talking, even if they can’t see you because you are on the phone with them.

Listening means that you care.

Listening means that you can be trusted.

Listening is the answer.

Listening is also a skill.

Listening requires practice.

Here is an excellent Ted Talk on 5 ways to listen better.

Backtracking

How can you prove you are an excellent listener?

You can do this easily by backtracking backtracking means that you mirror back or repeat back what someone has said in their own words.

This important part to remember about backtracking is to make sure you use their words.

Don’t use your words, use the clients words.

After all this is not about you this is about truly listening to the client.

If someone says to you ” My main challenge right now is that I am not getting the type of return on investment I’d like from my marketing.”

I would not say back ” Interesting, so what your saying your problem is that you are not making any money from your advertising.”

The reason I say this is because it builds massive rapport with the other person when you match and mirror their language patterns, and use specific words they prefer in their model of the world.

Instead I would say back ” Interesting so if I understand you correctly the main challenge you are having right now is that you are not getting the type of return on investment you’d like from your marketing, is that correct?”

Now this is something that is fairly basic so you wouldn’t need to backtrack every single thing someone is saying, if you do back track every single thing someone says it can be extremely annoying.  Use this skill with important / complex bits of information and it will allow you to clarify what they are saying and make sure you’ve got it right.

Pause 

The fastest way to break your rapport with someone is to interrupt them.  So if that is your goal, interrupt away. The artful pause is truly a lost art. As a general rule after someone finishes talking please wait a few seconds so they can finish their thought.  Don’t jump in too early.  Or ask a question and break their train of thought.  Force yourself to listen.

Listen more than you speak, it’s 80 / 20 with listening. Speak 20 % of the time, listen 80% of the time, it’s the formula for great success in selling!