Let’s talk about Listening Skills…
So often in the Sales and Telemarketing business, we feel that to sell we need to talk and talk. Many sales people overlook listening skills, instead believing that if they are not saying something they will lose control over the sales process and therefore lose the sale.
But let’s consider how this approach impacts your client and ultimately your result. Showing a lack of interest in your client, in their thoughts, their needs, their experiences and expectations is a signal to them that you don’t care about them, you are just after a sale.
It is also a lost opportunity for you as without that very personal information, you cannot know how to meet their specific need with your offer.
The other consideration is rapport. If we are doing all of the talking, even if we are delightful, we will not have a real chance to establish rapport. This is because, as we have discussed previously, rapport is most quickly developed by matching your client. To match them, you need to hear them.
Listening skills are just as essential to any sales process as a good script, great voice tonality and solid questioning techniques.Over the phone, the best way to utilise and develop listening skills is to ask good Questions. This lets our customer have ample opportunity to communicate their true needs to us.
Ask Good Questions
On the good communication skills page I talk in detail about the different types of questions and when to use them.
The questions that encourage conversation and elicit information are open questions. An open question is worded in a way that needs more than a one word answer.
Great open questions are:
- What has your experience with your current supplier been like?
- Can you tell me more about that?
- How do you feel about this situation?
Asking great questions is the first step.
The next is to use your listening skills to actively listen to your clients answers. Hear their words, but also hear their non-verbal response.
Notice their pauses, is it a sign of hesitation or maybe confusion? Listen to their tone, this is one of the ways they will communicate their emotions on the subject. Also pay attention to their speed and volume. What do they emphasize? What excites them and what disappoionts them?
By developing active listening skills we can collect a wealth of information from a client.
Take Notes
Often when we are doing phone work we speak to many clients in a shift. At times our customers are in similar situations and it can be easy to forget what your current client has said to you. Which leads me to my next point, jot down the information that seems important as you hear it.
These notes don’t need to be complicated or in any particular format. If short hand works for you, that’s fine. But note it down at the time so you have notes to refer to later. This is particularly helpful if follow up calls are needed.
I also recommend noting down the names of everyone else at the business or in the residence that you have spoken to. This helps you to get through to your client quickly and puts those around them on side with you.
Repeat back
After your client has given you information about their situation, make sure you repeat that information back to them to clarify that you have it right. When doing this, don’t use their exact words (which can sound condescending) but try to stick to what you believe they said. Then ask them if you have understood correctly.
For instance;
-So what I’m hearing is that…………………. Is that right Jenny?
Things to Avoid…
- Many times telemarketers feel uncomfortable pausing. But a pause often gives your customer time to reflect and to clarify their stance. A pause can be powerful and can invite more information. Don’t rush in to talk because silence is not comfortable to you.
- Talking about your personal experience can be a mistake. Clients, like anyone, normally love to talk about themselves and will happily tell you anything you ask. Naturally, we are human too and we also like to talk about our experience. Don’t fall into this trap. It can take you off focus and in truth your client is usually just not interested in your personal experience. It tends to cloud the call and certainly doesn’t help you to make a sale.
- I have talked a lot about planning your words by way of a script, prior to your call. I also highly recommend practising it so that you feel very comfortable delivering it. But don’t get so focused on your presentation that you forget to slow down and liten to your customers answers to your well scripted questions. In fact, try to listen more than you talk.
