We all think we can…listen. And yet it is easier said than done. Men and women often accuse each other of not listening well. But listening proves to be quite difficult not only in our private relationships, it also takes a lot of effort in business conversations. Have you ever had business conversations and later found yourself missing certain parts of the conversation? Probably. Listening attentively for a long time is a challenge!
Listening = selling
Talking is silver, listening is gold! Those who can listen and observe well can then speak with more wisdom and conviction. During the sales conversation, listening is much more important than talking. Naturally, you would like to tell everything about your company and why your lead should choose your offer. However, your conversation partner is usually not interested in your standard story at all. He or she especially wants you to demonstrate that you understand their problem by listening carefully, asking the right questions and then coming up with a suitable offer that can solve this problem.
So, listen! Listen, and ask follow-up questions. That way, you come across as interested, but above all, reliable and experienced. All decisive factors in a sales process. In short: listening is selling!
Active listening
Are you a real talker, or a listener? To be able to concentrate well and, above all, actively on what your conversation partner is saying, and to be able to respond to it, a number of things are important. Even if you are not a born listener, you can acquire these skills and train them during conversations.
Maintain eye contact
One of the most difficult components, but one that can be practiced, is making eye contact. Many people do not feel comfortable with this. Yet it is very important. Having eye contact indicates that you are concentrated and listening sincerely. However, too much eye contact can come across as confrontational, arouse aggression, or make your conversation partner feel insecure.
Take notes
A good way to avoid making too much eye contact is to take notes. By regularly looking at your notebook, laptop or tablet and taking notes, you can interrupt eye contact. Here too, don't stare at your laptop or tablet too often, because that can be a signal of disinterest. It is also fine to say every now and then during the conversation: 'just a moment, I will make a note of that'.
Watch your posture
Your attitude is also very important. We have often discussed the first impression you make in conversations. But the way you adopt an attitude during the conversation also influences the impression you leave behind. By leaning upright or forward, you demonstrate that you are listening actively and with concentration. By leaning back a bit you show that you are comfortable, but less focused. It may therefore be wise to sit upright or lean forward at the beginning of your conversation, and then adopt a slightly more relaxed position once the serious part of the conversation has ended.
Continue to ask questions
Asking a sharp or triggering question makes a much more impression than telling a convincing sales story. By asking good questions you show that you have knowledge of the matter and that you are on the same level of thinking as your conversation partner. Moreover, it gives you a lot of insights that you can use later when a quotation needs to be drawn up or a solution needs to be devised.
Avoid underestimation
So don't underestimate the importance of listening and asking questions in a sales process! It is much more important to create trust in this way than by giving a slick presentation. (Almost) every seller can do that. Applying listening techniques properly and in a disciplined manner is very tiring, make no mistake about that. It can hardly last longer than 1 to 1.5 hours, so try not to let your sales conversations last much longer. If you are a salesperson who trains yourself well to listen, you can last longer, but your concentration will decrease. Just think back to your days in school. Even though the topic was interesting, listening attentively for more than 1 to 1.5 hours is a huge challenge. Active listening, conversational balance and trust are key to your success as a salesperson. And remember, practice makes perfect!
