Two Ears and One Mouth
- Jennifer Rikely
- Apr 14, 2018
- 2 min read
We have two ears and one mouth – use them proportionately.
It’s an old sales training tip but one that I still find to be a useful reminder. Most people go into sales because they are extraverts who like to connect with people. However, think back to your best calls – I bet they are not the ones where you have regaled your customer with interesting stories – but rather those calls where the customer has opened up and shared some real insights into what they need.
Listening is not easy – especially in these fast-paced, technology charged times we operate in. As sales reps, we have a limited amount of time with our customers and a lot of information that we think we should be sharing. How are we supposed to get the customer to understand all that we have to offer if we don’t tell them?
Well, here’s the thing – the customer doesn’t need to know about everything you have to offer. They only need to know about those about those things that matter to them.
Good sales reps ask a lot of questions and get the customer talking so that when it’s their turn to share info, they can focus on only those details that will resonate with that particular customer.
So, what do the best sales reps do to become good listeners?
They focus on the present. When they are in front of that customer, that’s who they are thinking about. They are not checking their emails and text messages and verifying other details from other clients.
They are genuinely curious about their customers. Not only do they ask questions, but when the customer is responding, they try to hear what’s not being said, as well as what is.
They empathize with their customer's needs. They don’t pretend to know what they are going through, but they can certainly imagine the feelings of stress and anxiety that a customer may have when facing a particular business challenge.
Make it a practice to become aware of the balance of listening and talking in the conversations you have with your customers. Ask yourself, is this conversation in balance or are you doing too much of the talking? If you are talking too much, it’s time to regroup, ask a question and get back in balance.
Comments