Grandpop I Am Not Done Talking!

My daughter once told my father, “Grandpop I am not done talking.”  I had one of those how cute is that moments.  Then, I thought what an apt metaphor for listening to our customers.

Sales reps and account executives should be trained and know about how to interact with customers and prospects.  Here are some reminders.

1. We have two ears and one mouth.  We should use them in that proportion.
2. Listen and watch for cues for when the other person is pausing to gather a thought and when they have completed the thought.
3. There is no “I” in team.  It is about hearing, understanding and meeting customer needs.  It is not about what you want to sell.
4. He who speaks first loses.  Not always, but interesting advice.  Don’t speak to fill dead air.  Let the other person articulate their objections or perhaps their acceptance to the sale.
5. If one customer touch is good, then 10 must be great.  It is so easy to e-mail or text these days.  Don’t use that as a crutch to “be in your customer’s face.”
6. Check in with me later.  Is it really later or never?  Time in fungible.  We do not get it back.  Is that person a real prospect, a suspect or a waste of time?

The Takeaway

Listening is one our five senses.  When interacting with customers or prospects it is the most important one.

That’s it for me.  Over to you.

1. What tips do you have for listening to customers?
2. How do you “read between the lines” about what the prospect is really saying?
3. What percent of the time is your customer speaking during your conversations?

If you would like to contact me, you may do so by visiting my LinkedIn page, following me on Twitter,  or e-mailing me at rcberman2 (at) yahoo (dot) com.