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What To Say So You Connect

By Art Sobczak
Business By Phone Inc.

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I saw an article about how golf equipment sales reps
visit the various pro golf tournaments every week and
try to persuade the players to use the equipment
represented by the salesmen.

David Williams, a rep with club company Sonartec said
that when speaking with a "technologically-challenged"
player he simply says that "Our fairway woods are 10
to 15 yards longer than anything out here."

With someone who wants to know the how's and why's,
he says, "The driving cavity changes the center of
gravity and spreads the weight out to the toe and
heel." OK.

This illustrates, in quite simple terms, what we all
should do as salespeople: tell them what they want to
hear, in their language. Don't make them adapt to yours.

Perhaps you've taken part in training sessions or
read books on how to determine someone's communication
style through Neuro Linguistic Programming, or DISC, or
the numerous other systems that put people into a
quadrant and label them as Assertive-Driver, etc.

That's fine, but sometimes it's overkill. To be
very elementary--and why not--we should listen to
what the customer/prospect tells us, and respond in
a manner the other person understands best.

Easier said than done. Most people are so concerned
about what THEY want to say, they don't listen to the
other person. Or, they're not aware of how to pick up
on a language and style, and therefore don't know what
they don't know.

A tech support rep from the local cable internet provider
came to my house to troubleshoot a problem with
my home network. He took three minutes of nonstop talking
in circles to try and explain the problem. I told him I
had no idea what he just said. Then--I kid you not--he used
three MORE minutes to say ... basically nothing. Frustrated,
I finally said,
"Bottom line, are you telling me I need a new router?"

"Uh, yeah, pretty much."

A simple, "Your router is bad. You need a new one," would
have done nicely.

OK. Here are the suggestions for this week:

1. Brainstorm the benefits/results of your products, and put
them into categories appropriate to your business. Possibilities
include "technical benefit descriptions," "bottom line benefits,"
"process benefits," and so on. Think of different types of
people who are now interested in those benefits. Review
their personality characteristics and the things they say
and do that will help you identify similar traits in others.

2. Be more aware of what your customers, prospects, friends,
spouse, coworkers ... or anyone tells you, and HOW they do it.
Listen carefully.

3. Ask great questions to get the information you need.
For example, if someone says, "Tell me how this would work,"
Or, "What would this do for me?", resist the tendency to
go into a pitch. Ask them,

"What are you most interested in?"
"What's most important to you as it relates to ...?"

"Are you more interested in the process, or the bottom
line result?"
4. Listen to recordings of your calls to determine if you're
picking up on everything during your calls.

5. Make a commitment to USE what you hear and tailor
your comments, descriptions, and recommendations in
a manner and language they can best relate to.

When we work to understand and use the other person's
language, the result is helping them get what they
want, which also help us get what we want

Art Sobczak helps sales pros use the phone to prospect, service and sell more effectively, while eliminating morale-killing "rejection. To get FREE weekly emailed TelE-Sales Tips visit: http://ww.BusinessByPhone.com

Revised: 10/08/2008 - Article Viewed 1220 Times

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Biography

Art Sobczak helps sales pros use the phone to prospect, service and sell more effectively, while eliminating morale-killing "rejection." He presents public seminars (ask for a current schedule) and customizes programs for companies. Art has a number of books, CD's to help sales reps. See free articles and back issues of his weekly emailed sales tips at www.BusinessByPhone.com. Also ask for a free copy of his monthly Telephone Prospecting and Selling Report newsletter, and the new Telesales Success tips and resources magazine by emailing ArtS@BusinessByPhone.com, or calling (402)895-9399

Contact Information

Art Sobczak
Business By Phone Inc.
402-895-9399
arts@businessbyphone.com

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