tip to successful selling be a listener

Develop the skill of listening effectively. Most sales people do not listen effectively, they just pay ear service to this skill, and invariably the customer picks up on it and switches off. Have you been in a similar position when you have been the customer? I have as a customer and it is destructive when trying to build a relationship with the customer and the sales person, this is where the, them and us mentality surfaces.To listen effectively in sales you have to listen with your entire being there is no half measure; it is equivalent to having a zoom lens that is how full on effective listening has to be.Sales people confuse Effective listening with efficient listening; do you know wat the difference is?Sales people are efficient listeners, they listen to what they think is important, they listen with an ear to talk vs. absorb and assess, a small percentage of average sales people zone out, most how ever do listen efficiently paying just enough attention to stay in the dialogue.Effective listening goes way beyond this, sales people that are effective listeners not only stay in the dialogue they pay attention with a high level of intensity. They listen to all content, paying attention to the customers tone, body language, pacing, and emphasis, while maintaining good eye contact with their customer with out being intimidating. These sales people listen intently which enable them to question appropriately and integrate, their follow up questions tell the customer that are listening and have listened to what the customer has said; these sales people use and develop effective listening to a skill full art form.Another way to show effective listening is to take notes, at appropriate intervals noting the key information. Unfortunately taking notes is a lost art. I have always taken notes and still do so to this day, as leaving it to memory is not good enough if you want to become a superb sales person, and join the few of us in this rarified atmosphere.Taking notes allows you to go over what the customer has said and gives you time to put together a winning proposal, this skill has made me put together some amazing sales. Sales that other sales people had given up on or considered the customer far too difficult to handle.Listening effectively is one of the six critical skills that have to be developed and kept honed to have an effective dialogue. The funny thing is that when sales people are asked what their strongest skill is they will always tell you it is listening, yes this may be true but are they listening effectively?If you as a professional sales person list your strongest skill as listening then why have you not had a sales conversion record of 99% to 100%? Interesting huh.

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