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Train Your Sales Force To Use Their Ears More And Their Mouths Less
www.melindabrody.com
407-294-7614
Train Your Sales Force To Use Their Ears More And Their Mouths Less
Effective listening is a critical sales tool, especially in today's highly competitive housing market.
Listening effectively is a really learned skill, and the successful salespeople know how to really listen to their prospects. When is the last time someone really listened to you? I am certain you feel important, cared about and respected. People are craving a little attention and really appreciate a good listener. Dale Carnagie's famous book How to Win Friends and Influence People addresses the importance of listening to your being liked and accepted by others.
Here are eight suggestions for your sales staff to practice to increase effective listening:
1. Eye Contact - Look your prospect straight in the eye and show your complete attention.
2. Minimal Response - Nod your head, say, "Uh Huh" or "I see," to show you are listening carefully.
3. Pause - Paul Harvey is the MASTER of Pause and for good reason - it gets your attention. After listening to someone, pause a few minutes and let it all sink in before responding.
4. Rephrase - Never assume anything. Repeat what the prospect said so communication is clear-"As I understand it..." or "Let me get this straight..."
5. Body Language - Sitting forward or leaning towards the speaker shows great interest non-verbally.
6. Ask Questions - A good listener probes with many direct questions, such as who, what, where, when, why, etc. This reinforces your interest in what the person is saying.
7. Be Acceptant - Be open-minded and listen to another's point of view even if you do not agree.
8. Never Interrupt - Poor listeners jump in with their rebuttal and constantly interrupt.
Active listening shows we are paying attention to someone. The more attention we pay to someone, the more valuable the feel.
Listening will takes self-discipline and concentration. Our minds function at approximately 500 words per minute. The average person speaks at an average of 125 word per minute. Therefore, we have 2/3 of the time left over for our minds to be drifting while someone is speaking to us.
God gave us two ears and one mouth. Maybe he was telling us something. We should LISTEN twice as much as we talk!
Melinda Brody, MIRM has been inspiring and evaluating salespeople for almost two decades. She offers sales seminars, keynotes and video mystery shopping services for builders across North America.
