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Telling Aint Selling

Written by: Leanne Hoagland-Smith

Article Overview: Telling ain’t selling. If you goal is to increase sales, then maybe you need to redirect your senses.

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Telling Aint Selling

Telling ain’t selling. If you goal is to increase sales, then maybe you need to redirect your senses.

How many times do we as passionate professional sales people talk way too much? We are so excited by our products or services that we forget that our prospects may not share that same enthusiasm.

During a business networking event, just take the time to listen to all the telling going on. The noise level is incredible because most folks are talking away, spewing what I call the 3 Ps Virus of Product, Price and Proposal.

What would happen if they just shut up? First the noise level would dramatically decrease. Second, you could actually hear what the other person is saying. Third, you just might learn something significant about the individual not too mention their business.

Think back to your last sales meeting. Who did most of the talking? What was the ratio from your perspective to talking to the prospect versus listening to the prospect. My goal is to have a 1 to 10 ratio. For every word that I speak, I want to hear 10 words from the prospect.

Mark Twain among others was quoted as saying: "If the good Lord wanted us to talk more than to listen, he would have given us two mouths instead of two ears." Listening, or to be more precise active listening secures two results:

1. CLEAR communication that allows us to: Clarify, Legitimize, (for) Emotions; Agree and Remember

2. Builds an authentic relationship. John Maxwell once said: No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care

Unfortunately, between our passion and our egos, the focus is on us through all the words that we speak and not on the prospect who may truly benefit from our products or services. We turn off the prospect by all of our words. Imagine that! Being turned off by someone walking way too much.

The ability to increase sales is a lot easier than most people realize – just be quiet. Remember, if you are telling you ain’t selling.

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Home > Business-Coach > Leanne Hoagland-Smith > Telling Aint Selling
Article Tags: active listening, authentic relationship, business networking, ears, egos, emotions, john maxwell, mark twain, mouths, networking event, noise level, passion, perspective, professional sales, proposal, prospects, senses, virus

About the Author: Leanne Hoagland-Smith
RSS for Leanne's articles - Visit Leanne's website

Executive consultant, sales coach and speaker, Leanne Hoagland-Smith, partners with innovative and crazy busy leaders who want to dramatically improve their team results. What this looks like differs for each firm and why a free strategy session is offered just by calling 219.759.5601 CDT USA to have a conversation about the results you are seeking. If you prefer you can forward a request to coach@processspecialist.com

Her book, Be the Red Jacket is a no-nonsense and quick read to help discover potential gaps that may be keeping you from your goal to increase sales. The forward is by Evan Carmichael of EvanCarmichael.com

Remember if you think you cannot or you think you can either way you are right. (Henry Ford). Sales Coaching Tip:  Change your thoughts; improve your results.

Click here to visit Leanne's website
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Related Forum Posts
Re: Kevin's Case Study #10 - When to become an entrepreneur? Re: Kevin's Case Study #10 - When to become an entrepreneur? - When the bug bite you. A lot of successful entrepreneurs started in their teens or at school. Selling sweets to fellow students or lemonade to firends in the neighbourhood.
Re: This is Marketing Warfare! Re: This is Marketing Warfare! - Hey GT, I guess this was from a while back, and it'll test your memory a bit but could you possibly elaborate on Unique Selling Proposition? Can you give us some examples of good USPs?
Re: Social Media Marketing - Corporate Vs. Small Business Re: Social Media Marketing - Corporate Vs. Small Business - [quote="WebBizIdeas.com":y4tmwxf6]Telling your dorky friends at school you are having a big party does nothing...having the coolest kid in school tell some people about your party is all it takes...that is Social Media Marketing. Jeff[/quote:y4tmwxf6] Hi Jeff, So what recommendations do you have for influencing the most popular "kid in school" (i.e. the person with the most influence in your related industry) to promote your products/services?
Blog pinging Blog pinging - Thanks Martin - yes, I do ping and it has been very effective. I'm currently on the first page of Google for Mastermind Group and on the second page for Selling to Small Business.
Business magazines Business magazines - Fast Company is pretty good if you're into technology although it can be very on the edge. Entrepreneur has become one giant advertisement and I cancelled my subscription. Selling Power also has some useful content if you're looking at improving your sales skills / presentations.


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