Do you want to sell more? If you do, you need to “be interested” not “interesting.” A good salesperson doesn’t need to be the life of the party, the funny person or even possess the gift of gab. While none of those things are bad, to be really successful, you simply have to show others that you care.
So how can you “be interested?” The quick answer is don’t fake it. Many salespeople throw in the gratuitous “I understand” accompanied by a nod of the head in an effort to show empathy when talking to someone else. If you’re not sincere, others will see through your misguided attempt. The easiest way to spot a fraud is to check out what they do next.
If someone is faking it, they’ll continue moving full steam ahead with their agenda which is usually to close the sale. We’ve all seen salespeople like this; you might even be one of them. If you’ve ever sat in a meeting with a prospect and found you were really not listening, you’re guilty. You might have heard what your prospect was saying, but it didn’t change what you said in return. You were on a mission. Or maybe you’ve interrupted a prospect before he finished talking to excitedly explain how you could do this or do that for him, because you think you’ve hit on his hot button.
To “be interested,” you don’t have to say too much of anything. You just have to ask questions and really listen. People are flattered by rapt attention. And in today’s fast-paced, time-starved existence, it’s truly a luxury to have someone stop long enough to show genuine interest in us.
So the next time you are having a conversation with a prospect, or anyone else for that matter, challenge yourself to focus intently on the other person. Show sincere interest by asking questions and then stop and listen. Maintain good eye contact and don’t get distracted by your surroundings or your own random thoughts. Probe and clarify after the other person answers your questions. Fight the urge to explain or give your two cents worth.
In fact, the best test is to speak only in two situations. The first situation is when you ask a question. The second situation is when you are answering a direct question from the other person. If you can master this skill, you be well on your way to “being interested.”
Being Interesting Is Overrated - To learn more about this author, visit Will Turner's Website.
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Will Turner
(Visit Will's Website)
As President of Dancing Elephants
Achievement Group, Will feels he has the
best job in the galaxy. He loves working
with salespeople and entrepreneurs to
"unblock" themselves and "unlock"
their potential. Will is the first to
admit that he was a reluctant salesperson
for many years. He thought most
salespeople had to be pushy, and he just
wasn't comfortable in that role. He later
discovered that you don't have to act
like a typical salesperson to be a great
salesperson so he created a company to
teach others what he had learned.
Will transitioned a twenty year career in
sales and sales management into his
current position as President of Dancing
Elephants. In addition to facilitating and
presenting, Will is the author of Impact!,
the company's monthly e-newsletter on
sales performance. He is also the
co-creator of the Sales Magnetism program
and the co-author of Six Secrets of Sales
Magnets.
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