How To Use Effective Communication Skills-Listening Skills-Part I

I know as a salesperson I have been aggressive in the past, but have learned that the only reason why I made any progress was because of the numbers. Anyone can tell you that if you increase your numbers of the prospects you contact that you are due to make sales.

I was not a very good listener and did what I was taught to do. However I have learned that listening will help you acquire a specific plan to reach your specific target audience. Focusing on their needs is way more productive than force feeding benefits.

Listening Skills Help You Avoid Causing Feelings Of Being:

• Dismissed
• Misunderstood
• Unimportant

Not using effective listening skills can make the person that is speaking to you feel unimportant, dismissed and cause them to do business elsewhere; not to mention the misunderstands. As you can see when you don't listen well, you begin climbing a slippery slope causing you to work harder and not smarter.

Have you ever done this?

How times have you been called or approached by salesman that makes you want to run and hide when they start talking and aggressively and pushing their products on you and treat you like they are your very best friends? If you've done this, know that this tactic is old school and does not work any more. Work smart and not unnecessarily hard with the wrong methods. Nothings worst than being a sales bully insulting someones intelligence.

How To Listen Effectively

When someone is speaking to you it is important that you let them know you fully understand by using a playback technique to clarify understanding.

• Repeat what you heard.
• Ask if you understood correctly.

example I - You like the color blue with the tan leather seats. That is a very nice choice.

example II - I understand that you are frustrated by your past performance and would like more training. What would you like to do?

What you will notice is that I added an open ended question on example 2. An open ended question will help your target audience/prospect express themselves while giving you answers you may not have asked.

It is very important for you to:

• make eye contact
• avoid distractions

Effective Listening Skills Are Key To Successful Communication

What ever your product is you must find out what the customer needs are. The way to do this is to keep asking why. "Why" will give you the answers to deal with objections.

For example if your a pool salesman you will get a strong no from first time buyers with a new baby. But without asking them why you will never know that you should be convincing them how safe the removable gates are.

The only way to get this important information is to try to connect to your prospect as a friend and find out how their life is at home. When you realize the prospects are only friends you haven't met yet you will begin to see a difference in your income.

Sticking To The Main Objective

No matter the objective the power of why will always bring you to the real one not the one that sounds good to blow us off. As you can see with the above example the real objective is the new babies safety. Now stick with that!

Everyone wants a great pool in their backyard for cookouts and leisure but a babies life is a no brainer. Take care of the main(real) objective and you have got yourself a sale. Unless money is an issue.

Reward Of An Effective Listener

Once you have become a effective listener you will soon notice that you will begin to become more productive and hear less NO's. Of course you will always ask for referrals but if viewed as a caring concerned friend you will definitely see your income soar! Listening better will definitely improve your bottom line.

Part 2- Organizational Skills- If your not organized there is no way to keep track of your follow ups and your progress. Can this be why your not making the money others are making? Learning how to organize yourself will enable you to keep progressing and growing your income. What helps you make the bucks?

Part 3- How To Build Your Self Confidence- When you have self confidence it shows in the way that you walk, talk and is an instant door opener in any business. Learn what you have to do to start developing your self confidence.

Part 4- How To Dress For Success- If you don't look successful, how are you suppose to feel successful. Success start inside of your packaging. You may not be convinced but just look at the people with the six figure incomes.

Part 5- How To Show Enthusiasm At Work- If you plan on making deals,getting a promotion, or getting that job, you better start getting excited. If you don't care the person you want to impress won't either. Learn how to get excited and stop losing out.

Time management is a problem many of us face that keeps us from being progressive in our daily lives, work,and relationship with others. Effective Communication Skills are reqired .