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Discover your Listening StyleTo be among the best salespeople in world you need to discover your listening style and sharpen your skills around it. The most successful salespeople realize that the ability to effectively listen is as important as the ability to effectively communicate. In fact without the ability to effectively and actively listen, your communication will suffer.
Below average salespeople far outweigh the number of effective salespeople in the world. One of the biggest reasons is because many salespeople simply do not listen well. There is no way a salesperson can satisfy a client without truly understanding what their needs are. If you don’t listen well, you are going to miss a lot of information that will lead you to a payday. Discover your listening style and profit. Poor salespeople in every industry think they have the solution their client is looking for. They walk in the door spouting why their product or service is exactly what the client needs. They do this before giving the customer a legitimate chance to communicate their requirements. This is a huge mistake. Only the very best salespeople know that the eventual payoff lies in the ability to understand exactly what your customer requires. If you hear your client talking but are not listening to what they are saying, you will never recognize their needs and challenges. There are four general categories when it comes to listening styles. As you look to discover your listening style, remember that no one is better than another. In a successful sales career a conscious mix of the four styles often leads to a big payoff. We list the four styles here to give you a reference point regarding how you may be listening to your customers. Equally important, the descriptions below will give you an idea how your clients may be hearing you. Be aware of these approaches and be ready to adjust your listening & communication styles mid-stream when meeting a client.
People First This style of listener tends to show a concern for the feelings of others. They often talk more about we than you or they when dealing within a relationship. They zero in on emotions and work to appeal to others while making a point. They often convey, through words and actions, they are non-confrontational and harmless. People First listeners may be oblivious to the faults of others. From time to time they can be drawn into unwise relationships. This type of listener can come across as intrusive while they seek a connection with others. Content First Content First listeners are more interested in what is being said rather than who is saying it. They will evaluate internally how credible a person is and are not afraid to openly challenge their point of view. Their desire is to understand the facts. They look at both the pros and cons in an argument and seek to arrive at the most logical conclusion. From time to time, a content first listener will run into trouble when they discount the ideas of the other party. This type of listener has been known to overreact. They can easily reject information because it may not have the evidence they are seeking. Action First Action First listeners look for what will be done and who will do it. They also pay particular attention to when any actions will be carried out. They typically look for clear descriptions grounded in actuality. They like structure with well defined lists and action items. Impatiently, Action First listeners can push a speaker toward their conclusion. Often they become critical of those that talk about new ideas and concepts. They can be critical of the big picture. They can leave the impression they are more about control and less about the well being of other people. Clock Watcher As their name suggests this type of listener cannot keep their attention off of the clock. They are incredibly organized and often will allocate time during their day for listening to other points of view. If any session runs over they become distracted once again by the clock. They manage their time by seeking short and to the point answers. Often times Clock Watchers come across as annoying to People First listeners (who often seek as much time as required to make a point).
The above are very general descriptions. But when you understand the type of listener you are you will be able to better perform in selling engagements. Know what your weaknesses and strengths are when it comes to listening. Be aware of how you are filtering the information you receive from your client. Ask yourself if you need to adjust your perspective. Discover your listening style and profit. Additionally, think about the way you communicate with specific clients. Estimate where they land out of the four types of listeners described above. Now, think about how you have approached your conversations in the past. How might you change things now that you have an idea how they may be listening to you. Discover your listening style and you be in elite company within the sales industry. Continue to find ways to set yourself apart and beat your competition. Discover your listening style and make the money you know you deserve. Thanks for reading. Good selling.
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Some easy active listening exercises |
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