The key to success in sales is being able to satisfy a need or provide a solution to a problem.
To do this you need to get information from the customer and then you need to give information to the customer. You can have the best product, the lowest price or provide excellent service but none of that matters unless you’re able to properly “Communicate” it to the customer.
When meeting with customers or talking telephonically you need to “Engage” / “Connect”with them. And to do this you must be 100% “Present”. (Lights are on and someone is home).
BREAK DOWN THE COMMUNICATION BARRIER.
Whenever a salesperson meets with a customer there is an unwritten stand-off, it’s a case of salesperson versus customer. Communication is a two-way process so improving communication involves both how we send and receive messages. Communicating with customers does not mean you talking and them listening.
When meeting with customers, remember; it’s all about THEM not about YOU.
If you just talk about you and your products, then you exclude them from the conversation.
SIMPLIFY YOUR MESSAGE.
Avoid jargon, local industry expressions and acronyms which may not be understood by your customers. Speak clearly and purposefully. Use your words carefully. “It’s not what you say but how you say it”
Your message is made up as follows:
- 7% Words (What you say)
- 38% Tone (Attitude)
- 55% Non-verbal (Body Language and facial expressions)
The 55/38/7 formulae: Mehrabian and Wiener 1967
This means you must deliver your message with conviction and belief. Your non-verbal communication is often more powerful than your words. Be more conscious of the messages you are sending. The tone of your voice determines what message the customer gets! Are you doing this because you WANT to or because you HAVE to?
Note: Toyota has a new concept car which senses the driver’s emotional state and then reacts. I.e. if the driver is frustrated by peak hour traffic the wind screen turns red. This is achieved by the vehicle having sensors that monitor the driver’s emotions based on FACIAL EXPRESSIONS and BODY LANGUAGE.
Your tone of voice is affected by your body language and facial expressions.
A few key points when communicating with customers:
- Sit / Stand up straight.
- Be confident.
- Look like you are there to do business.
- Frown, raise your eyebrows, nod your head.
- Show interest in the conversation.
When speaking with customers, be animated! Don’t just go on and on in a monotone voice, communicate with enthusiasm. Use a voice recorder to improve your communication skills. Record yourself reading aloud or role paying a telephone call to hear what you sound like to other people. The voice that you hear inside your head is not the same voice that the customer hears.
When communicating with customers: (Non-negotiable)
- SMILE.
- DON’T SLOUCH.
- BE REHEARSED.
- BE ENTHUSIASTIC.
Related Tag: Sales Training
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© 2019 Ray Patterson. All materials, images and contents contained herein are the intellectual property of Ray Patterson and may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, displayed, adapted or modified without Ray Patterson’s express permission. Any unauthorized copying, reproduction, distribution, display, adaptation or modification will amount to copyright infringement.