Most of the successful people I've known are the ones who do more listening than talking. ~Bernard Baruch
If you are anything like me then you may take for granted some of the lessons we learned from our parents when we were kids. I cannot tell you how many times I was told "God gave you two ears and one mouth so you could listen twice as much as you speak". I have even passed this lesson on to my kids as well - just ask them, they will tell you! However, it wasn't until recently that I began to comprehend how this simple lesson applied to working as a sales professional.
Most salespeople are described as being a natural salesperson because they have the 'gift of gab' and in many cases this is true. The ability to navigate a conversation is an incredible tool when it comes to selling. But there is a fine line in talking to the close, and talking through the close. This is where the listening becomes a crucial part of the sales process.
Virtually every sale is met with some sort of objection before it can come to fruition. It is important to listen to the customer as they tell us their objections. It's just as important to listen to what they are telling us without saying it - the hidden objection. Many sales are lost because the hidden objection is never uncovered because we only heard what they were saying.
Now don't try to read into this one too much - remember you first learned this lesson when you were 5 years old. Keep it simple - listen twice as much as you talk and I guarantee you will see the benefits!
http://www.imperialpressdirect.com
David Villa,
813-630-5888 x 551
cfritcher@ipdmail.com
