Networking, coaching, and training over the years has subjected me to a plethora of excuses, justifications, defenses, and constant attempts to explain why a sales professional is lacking in performance. Most have been smoke screens to amendable issues that were overcome with a combination of training, coaching, and steadfast practice. That doesn’t mean I don’t find some of these reasons downright absurd the minute they are uttered to me as a badge of protection.
Which leads me to my most recent offender, who shall remain nameless. Recently, I was enjoying a networking event and was engaged by a few real estate professionals. We began a casual conversation about the business, demographics, social selling, and what I do in terms of consulting. It was a lovely exchange of me providing small tips and tricks, along with tidbits of information. One woman decided to pull the trigger on what seemed to be an innocent question, but to me was an alarming admission.Â
“Nikki, how do you close a prospect when you can’t listen to everything they say?” Have you ever met someone who wears all their emotions on their face, despite how inappropriate they may be? Well, that person is me. My knee jerk response was “Why not?” This was met with silence and a blank stare. Rightly so, since it was a rhetorical question. The foundation of selling your prospect on your product or service is engaging them to understand the problem they wish to solve and the needs that are motivating the purchase. Only then can you recommend a solution to address the problem and fulfill the need. This is done by active listening.
Do you remember when we were kids and our mom said “In one ear and out the other.” That is the very thing I witness in my training and coaching sessions. Sales people staring right at clients as they talk, hearing them, but not listening to a word that is being communicated.
Let’s take a little self-test and get honest with ourselves. Have you ever found yourself – pretending to pay attention, conjuring up your rebuttal, daydreaming, itemizing your grocery list, interrupting your hopeful prospect listening with pre-conceived notions, or disconnected from all obvious signs of body language?
These idiosyncrasies unique to each of us, is why hearing is not equivalent to active listening. This is your biggest road block to success. So forget calling your manager and demanding a better product, or demanding the marketing director’s head on a platter, or scouring the internet for a blog on how to be a better closer….let’s start first by working on our listening skills.
Active listening isn’t a highly taught skillset. So the likelihood of you ever being coached to thrive in this area is pretty slim. Most people don’t even realize that their skills are in need of refinement or a tune-up. Sales people just equate hearing with listening, like most others. The steps below are a great basis for building a solid communication framework between you and your prospect.
1.      Be in the Moment – This really is a life lesson, but for purposes of this blog be present with your prospect. An open-minded individual with no filters or pre-conceived notions is the most creative at crafting the best solutions to a customer’s problems.
2.      Never Interrupt Your Client – We learned this as children. Do we get a pass as adults? No!  I know you have great information to share, but wait your turn. It will demonstrate patience and respect, which are worthy qualities in a sales person.
3.      Stop Creating the Great Debate – Psychologically our tendency is to resist new information that doesn’t coincide with our existing belief system. If your prospect says something that challenges you, immediately you begin to craft your response causing you to stop the listening process. Wait until you have received all the information about any topic you feel disputed on, then after your client has communicated all their feelings, respond appropriately. Don’t ever be afraid of silence during the sales process. This is the biggest mistake I see sales professionals make.
4.      Paraphrase Your Patron’s Words – If people feel like you are invested in what they are sharing, it makes them more apt to explain their feelings in greater detail. As sales people, this is exactly the information we need to successfully perform our jobs. We sell off emotion and exchange of information. We need the circumstances, the dominant buying motive, the needs, the why, which can only be heard through active listening. It’s the key to unlocking all the information to provide your prospects with your invaluable service to enhance their lives, fulfill their needs, and solve their problems, as well as create trust.
5.      No Technology – No phones, no texts, no emails, no social media, no calls. NO EXCEPTIONS
I know some of you may have issues attempting to retain a mass amount of information at once. In that case, take notes. Shorthand, of course, and try to engage as much eye contact as possible when doing so.
Your listening skills are not going to transform overnight, but Rome wasn’t built in a day. However, with continued practice, training, and repetitive use, you will see a continued improvement in your active listening skills, as well as your closing success and customer satisfaction.
