Listening

Learn how to improve your attitude, behavior, and technique in active listening. Frank Moore talks about paying attention, paraphrasing, and other best practices for engaging conversations. 

Sales superstars are active listeners. They pay close attention to what is being said during a sales call and internalize it. This allows sales superstars to fully understand the situation and determine whether or not they can help. It also shows the prospect that their problems are important to the salesperson.

A successful salesperson learns how to balance and counteract positive and negative feelings from both ourselves and current or prospective clients. As humans we are inclined to have natural physical and emotional responses, but ultimately we desire a state that is comfortable and free of negativity, uncertainty, or pressure.

In Three Steps to Sales Success, Part I, we covered the need to pause when you ask questions of prospects, and to ask open ended questions to learn their pain indicators and pain(s). Now, let’s take a look at questions that best prompt a prospect to open up to you.

If you follow these three simple steps – understand the true goal of your communication, send the right subtle “I’m listening” signals as the other person is speaking, and restate key content to prove you really were listening – you’ll have better conversations, gather high-quality information, and make better recommendations. Last but certainly not least, you’ll improve your closing ratio!

Has this ever happened to you? You’re in discussion with a prospect about the possibility of working together. The meeting is going well. You’re working your way all through the questions you know you’re supposed to ask at this stage. You’re paying close attention; you’re taking notes. One of the questions you ask strikes a nerve with the person you’re talking to. Suddenly the floodgates open, and you find yourself listening to a detailed, fully expressed, fully engaged answer -- one where the prospect really opens up to you.