In sales it is a necessity to have strong listening skills. Especially when it comes to objection handling.
Throughout the course of a sale you should be constantly asking questions to get a better understanding of what your prospective client needs, or wants, from you.
Asking questions is the easy part, however. Listening is where most people drop the ball in a sale. You have to let your client finish talking the whole while listening intently with genuine interest.
Make sure your next question or statement is related to what the consumer just said. Remember it's not enough to just listen, you have to be an empathetic listener as well.
The following are 10 tips to becoming an empathetic listener:
1. Practice saying, "Take your time, I'm listening." and really mean it.
2. Set aside your own agenda.
3. Be available and receptive emotionally as well as through body language.
4. Try to appreciate the other person's point of view.
5. Listen without being in a hurry to take over.
6. Try to imagine yourself in the other's place; feel what the speaker feels.
7. Help draw out thought and feeling by asking questions.
8. Have the speaker elaborate for further understanding.
9. Say, "Let me make sure I understand," and then restate the issue.
10. Be sensitive to the speaker's feelings.
Being an empathetic listener will help your closing ratios tremendously because the customer will feel you understand their needs and have their best interests in mind. For more on objection handling please refer to our SalesDogs Training School Kit.
Throughout the course of a sale you should be constantly asking questions to get a better understanding of what your prospective client needs, or wants, from you.
Asking questions is the easy part, however. Listening is where most people drop the ball in a sale. You have to let your client finish talking the whole while listening intently with genuine interest.
Make sure your next question or statement is related to what the consumer just said. Remember it's not enough to just listen, you have to be an empathetic listener as well.
The following are 10 tips to becoming an empathetic listener:
1. Practice saying, "Take your time, I'm listening." and really mean it.
2. Set aside your own agenda.
3. Be available and receptive emotionally as well as through body language.
4. Try to appreciate the other person's point of view.
5. Listen without being in a hurry to take over.
6. Try to imagine yourself in the other's place; feel what the speaker feels.
7. Help draw out thought and feeling by asking questions.
8. Have the speaker elaborate for further understanding.
9. Say, "Let me make sure I understand," and then restate the issue.
10. Be sensitive to the speaker's feelings.
Being an empathetic listener will help your closing ratios tremendously because the customer will feel you understand their needs and have their best interests in mind. For more on objection handling please refer to our SalesDogs Training School Kit.
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