If you have been in sales for any length of time you have probably heard something to this effect – “If you’re talking, you’re not selling”. I came across an article at Salesopedia that provides 10 tips for effective listening. Now the article is not written directly for salespeople, but there are some great points that are good reminders we can apply to our everyday sales life.
Face the speaker. Sit up straight or lean forward slightly to show your attentiveness through body language.
Focus solely on what the speaker is saying. Try not to think about what you are going to say next, if you do, you may not hear a very important piece of information that could help you win the sale.
Minimize internal distractions. If your own thoughts keep horning in, simply let them go and continuously re-focus your attention on the speaker. Resist the urge to jump in, let the speaker tell you in their words.
Keep an open mind. Wait until the speaker is finished before deciding what to do or ask next.
Avoid letting the speaker know how you handled a similar situation. Don’t interrupt them to solve an issue because you will be making assumptions about what the speaker is truly thinking.
And . . .
Engage yourself. Ask questions for clarification, but, once again, wait until the speaker has finished. That way, you won’t interrupt their train of thought. Be prepared to ask several clarifying questions to get to the full issue, problem, cause, etc. of what they are experiencing.