"To listen more is to quit trying to sell and just help them buy"
Only when the other person perceives that they are sincerely being listened to will they really hear what you are saying. The feeling that we are not being listened to builds resistance and annoys the heck out of us.
We are all guilty of not waiting for the other person to finish so that we can have our say. Instead of listening most people are thinking about what they are going to say next. The number one killer of sales opportunities is when a salesman talks too much. The easy solution is....
The 60% Rule
Make sure the other person gets to at least speak 60% of the time. Simple! And if you let the other person speak 70 to 80% of the time guess what happens....
* You start to build rapport
* They like you more
* They think you are smarter
* They feel appreciated and understood
* Their resistance to you and your suggestions melts away like ice cream on hot pavement
* Only when you really listen to them will they will really listen to you
Isn`t that beautiful and all you have to do is stop talking!
Listen to learn
A good listener is like a doctor. The doctor knows he or she can't suggest a solution until they understand the problems. They ask questions and take note of the answers. They are on a mission to understand how best to help their client (or patient).
It is easier to persuade if you know where the other person is coming from. Ask questions, lots of open ended questions. This gets you the information you need to persuade. The sales person who talks too much is trying too hard to sell and not letting his customer having the wonderful experience of buying. Because...
"No one likes to be sold but they do love to buy"
"No one likes to be sold but they do love to buy"
The first objective of persuasion is to find ways to lower resistance to you, your ideas and requests. Here is the easiest way to get someone to lower their shields..
The power pause
So simple and yet so powerful. All you have to do is wait 2 seconds before you talk. That's the length of one deep breath. Do you like to be interrupted? And neither does your client. It shows respect.when you let someone finish what the are saying. So let them finish take a 2 second pause and they will be receptive to what you have to say.
Nod when they are speaking
I'm not talking about nodding like a bobble head doll. Just a few mini nods every once in a while along with something like..'.ah ha or ok' will encourage them to open up and feel respected.
The power pause
So simple and yet so powerful. All you have to do is wait 2 seconds before you talk. That's the length of one deep breath. Do you like to be interrupted? And neither does your client. It shows respect.when you let someone finish what the are saying. So let them finish take a 2 second pause and they will be receptive to what you have to say.
Nod when they are speaking
I'm not talking about nodding like a bobble head doll. Just a few mini nods every once in a while along with something like..'.ah ha or ok' will encourage them to open up and feel respected.
"Talk less and listen more makes selling and persuading less of a chore"
Bonus.....before any important meeting or sales pitch I make up a list of questions that can help me uncover the clients wants and desires. This not only gets me the information I need, it keeps me on track and keeps me from talking too much.
Bonus.....before any important meeting or sales pitch I make up a list of questions that can help me uncover the clients wants and desires. This not only gets me the information I need, it keeps me on track and keeps me from talking too much.
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