By Sean McPheat, MTD Sales Training
While effective listening skills entail many standard commonalities, there are some additional challenges that only salespeople face and have to learn to overcome. The primary listening skill and challenge that plagues the sales professional is the problem of “expectations.”
In a normal conversational situation, you are apt to listen more effectively to the other party because you do not know what he or she is going to say. However, as a sales professional, you have trained, remembered, documented and rehearsed exactly what you believe the prospect is going to say.
The Crystal Ball
As a salesperson, your expectations cloud your hearing so much that you often do not hear what the prospect actually said; rather what you expected the prospect to say. In addition, you are inclined to “cut the prospect off” in anticipation of what you think they are going to say. Your training has essentially become a crystal ball and you inadvertently predict what you hear.
This is a detrimental problem that costs sales companies more money, clients and careers than most even know. Below three tips to help you put away the crystal ball and begin to listen more effectively.
STOP. LOOK. LISTEN.
#1: Stop Thinking!
You have been so conditioned to hear a particular response that you are listening more with your memory than with your ears. When the prospect begins to speak, do not allow your thoughts to immediately turn to “Page 6” of your rebuttal book. Many salespeople are actually formulating their answer even before the prospect has finished asking the question.
Example:
The Prospect says:
“Well, it sounds good. But I know I don’t have that much in my software budget, so I’m afraid…”
The Sales Person reacts directly from the Sales Manual with:
“I understand Steve. But please remember that our software solution will save your account reps so much more time that you will actually save money. In fact, I may be able to offer you a small discount…”
The salesperson expected the anticipated objection, when the prospect was actually going to say…
““Well, it sounds good. But I know I don’t have that much in my software budget, so I’m afraid…I’ll will have to see what I have in my training budget. I have a small allocation of training funds for each rep, but it will take me a couple of days to arrange a purchase order…”
STOP thinking.
#2: LOOK Intently
If there is ever a time to look the prospect closely in the eyes, it is when he or she is talking. Look deep and try to note the prospect’s facial expression and tone of voice.
#3: Listen Completely
Now, you must make sure that you hear the prospect out. You have to allow the prospect to finish his or her thought completely. A good way to do this is to wait at least three seconds before you speak. Wait for three seconds of total silence.
Those three seconds may seem like an eternity at that moment, but it is critical. Just assume a pensive, empathic look and count to three before you respond. Then if needed, rephrase the statement or question and ask it back.
Remember that the main thing that gets in between your ears…is your HEAD!
Author Credit:
Sean McPheat is the founder and Managing Director of MTD Sales Training. MTD has delivered training to over 2,000 different organisations around the world and to over 50,000 staff. Sean is well known within the sales industry and the media as the ‘go-to man’ that business owners, directors and salespeople turn to for advice on how to improve their sales and marketing and has been referred to in the media as “The UK’s #1 Authority On Modern Day Selling”. Click here to follow Sean online.
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