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Do you really hear me? Or: why Positive Sales equals Listening

Written by: Andrea

Article Overview: How can you sell your product or service to anyone without knowing what it actually is that they need? You shouldn't, is the short reply. Selling means not only 'making a sale' but focusing on the customer's needs, circumstances and wishes. Get to know them in order to understand them, and do it by asking and listening instead of talking and telling. Why? Because that is what effective, positive sales is all about.

Do you really hear me? Or: why Positive Sales equals Listening

Business owners and sales people have one very important task: knowing their customers. The only way to do that is asking what they need and why they need it. It’s that simple. No matter whether they sell insurance, books, furniture, bank accounts, consulting services or real estate; never mind whether their customer is Mr. Smith or company XYZ Inc: great sales people focus on the customer. Positive Sales means exactly that: finding out about the client’s needs by asking as many questions as necessary; and only then matching their needs with the product or service, if appropriate.

Think about how it feels being a customer of a clumsy sales person. First they don’t understand what we want, then they offer us the wrong thing and when we are not convinced they make desperate attempts to push us into the purchase. There is a lack of good sales people in this country, no matter what industry we are looking at. But there are thousands of sales strategies, taught at sales seminars, workshops and coaches. And yet the good sales women or man is still the exception.

It is hard to get away from the approach to talk as much as possible about one’s products in the hope that the customer might find them interesting enough to buy. The main mistake inexperienced sales people make is asking no questions; the second is not listening. And even if this is what sales people think they do: believe me, most don’t. Why? Because asking and listening are skills that need to be developed and nursed regularly. And because is very difficult when your boss breathes down your neck with the weekly sales targets.

You are in sales yet not happy with how you’re doing right now? Try to be more aware of yourself during your sales conversations and ask yourself:

In percentages, who talks more and who listens more?

(It should be you listening and the customer talking).

How efficient are your questions?

(The right questions get the right answers quicker).

What do you actually need to know from your average client?

(Prepare a list of the most crucial questions that need answering).

And most importantly: do you hear what they are saying?

(= React and adapt appropriately).

Many sales people realize that they thought they had been asking and listening to their customers as much as was necessary - before they actually started doing it. What is the point of all the learning about Positive Sales? Well, better sales performance turning out as higher turnover, richer sales bonus and happier work life are just the rewards that affect the sales person. Happier customers and return business are additional perks. For clients and sales personnel alike.

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Article Tags: bank accounts, boss, business owners, company xyz, consulting services, conversations, desperate attempts, furniture bank, insurance, insurance books, mistake, mr smith, percentages, real estate, sales person, sales seminars, sales strategies, sales targets



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