Are you Listening?

With your boss back at the office or literally breathing down your neck at a retail store, one’s first reaction is to try and drive traffic however you can do it, even if it is at the customer’s expense. This is very short term thinking. If your company is just about doing things for today’s bottom line, and they don’t have an interest in long-term growth, that’s probably how it will be for the rest of the time you spend employed at that company.

On the other hand, if your company has the intention of growth over time, then being a good listener should be at the top of your list. If you listen to your client and show them how you have listened, sales will be constant and growth will occur.

You can easily show them you listened when presenting a proposal or talking about the product you are suggesting they purchase from you. Intertwine the information you received from them in your conversation about the business, so they see what you are recommending is a direct correlation to their needs. It can’t get much better than that.

This should be done orally and in writing, so that when they go back and re-read your proposal without you there, they can feel your sincerity as well as again see that you were listening to them when they expressed their most dire needs for their business. If you do this repeatedly it will become second nature, and part of your sales process.

What are your challenges when it comes to listening skills? I look forward to hearing your comments. Until next time…