Think about a time you had a positive buying experience with a salesperson. They were probably credible, collaborative, and above all else, a good listener. Contrast this with a time you had a negative buying experience with a salesperson. They probably tried to impress you with how much they knew and talked……a lot.
Listening is a critical skill for selling success. Have your salespeople mastered this skill?
In the article “Are You Really Listening Or Just Waiting To Talk? There’s A Difference” Dana Brownlee notes that it is all too easy to be preparing a response rather than listening. Listening is invaluable because it enables a salesperson to demonstrate that they really do understand their customer and can assist them in achieving their goals.
Because of its importance, listening plays a key role in leading consultative selling methodologies.
- SPIN Selling, for example, advocates beginning with a series of open-ended questions to assess the customer’s Situation, the ‘S’ in SPIN.
- The Challenger Sale starts with a Warm-Up which is a thought-provoking, back and forth conversation.
- And Sandler Selling begins with Bonding and Rapport.
In essence, all three methodologies depend upon the salesperson’s ability to effectively listen. Empowered by listening, the salesperson can then articulate the customer’s goals and obstacles to achieving them and begin to construct a solution which addresses them.
To repeat: Have your salespeople mastered this skill of listening?
If they haven’t, do you have the time and the ability to help them develop it?
If you answered ‘no’ to these questions, consider working with Keylan Management Group. One of our fractional sales consultants can coach your salespeople on this and other sales skills. For more information, please contact us at info@keylangroup.com or 216-410-3024.
