We have talked on many occasions about being an effective listener.  Most sales professionals recognize the need to do it, yet today we will get basic about how it is done.  Even if you consider yourself an effective listener, there will be something in here for you.

When it comes to your customers, there is no code that cannot be decoded by attentive listening.  Remember, as we have said before, you are the expert in your organization on each of your accounts, to truly understand them, you must listen more than talk, and to listening at its best does require you deftly monitor the conversation.

Good listeners understand, interpret, and evaluate, but they also do a couple of other things better than others.  They monitor the communication by repeating or reflecting verbally what the speaker is saying.  If their understanding is wrong, the situation is rectified by that activity.

Good listening is important because your accounts can tell when you are absorbed in their stories and explanations, but also can detect when you are anxiously looking for that moment to jump in commandeer the conversation with “your two cents worth.”

We all know people who are good listeners.  They are patient, considerate, and understand your objective by the time you finish communicating.  They ask relevant questions which help them to respond and comply with your needs.

How important is it?

Listening is one of the most important parts of the sales process. What your accounts tell you is very important.  What they don’t tell you may even more important.  If a customer does not believe you are listening they will not go to the effort to clarify and expound.  You engage a sales professional to be a solution to your problems, not compete with you for “airtime”.

When in conversation many sales professionals can be distracted.  Much of this distraction can be from contemplating their next comment, or just anticipating the next action.  If you are ever in this situation fight it off.  An engaged sales professional pays attention as well as listens.

The basic steps to listening are:

• You must hear the speaker.
• You must understand the message.  (Comprehension)
• You are allowed to judge the message (Believability)

Some Important Tips

• Give your full attention to the speaker. Look him/her directly in the eye and demonstrate your understanding by your gestures as well as your responses.
• Let the speaker complete the points before you break in to speak.
• Look aware and attentive.  If you cannot keep your mind in the room, it will be noticeable.  Daydreaming, even if the speaker is boring, is forbidden.
• Note the expression and gestures. These are indicators of intensity and emotion.  Note the exuberance or the frustration, key in on areas that cause angst and provide clarity and solutions.
• Make sure you know of the message.  Ask questions as is necessary to assure this.  Once this meeting is over, it will be a travesty to walk away confused about the message, or the next actions.
• Record the main issues/ideas from the message. Pen and paper is the preferred method.  Your ability to reduce the key points to writing will allow you to recap the concerns and summarize the actions with aplomb.  You will appear a true professional when you summarize and give next steps.
• Structure your questions to repeat and reflect on what is being said.  For example “I understand that the timing of delivery is important, can you give me the time parameters that we must meet.”

What Went Wrong in this Example?

I once worked with sales professional who was strong in many ways, yet a marginal listener.  His listening ability was hampered by his desire to think ahead in everything constantly.  He was charming to customers and extremely intelligent, and these two traits covered the mistakes made by marginal listening.

He was meeting with a prominent customer when the customer made it real clear that all transactions for over $200,000 had to go to his board of directors for a final decision.  This type of comment is important and is notable, as the buyer was giving a “qualification”.  He stated that he liked our product, and our price, and would give his endorsement, yet he was not the final decision maker.

The sales professional did not hear it that way.  He heard the buyer’s acceptance, and saw dollar signs.  Not listening for the buyer to admit that he did not have the power to make the final call.

The buyer called back and indicated that we were a better organization, but priced too high and needed to do some price adjustment.  The sales exec went into action and got the price adjusted and the buyer said, “This should do it!”  The sales rep “banked” the sale processed the paperwork, requested services and so forth.

When the buyer called the next day and said that the board of directors did not agree with his decision, the sales exec was aghast.  Everything had to be undone, and his credibility was damaged.  When he and I talked about the decision making process it was obvious that he missed the fact that the board was going to review this major purchase.

The Remedy?

Obviously if the sales professional was a stronger listener I would not be able to use this as an example.

Additionally,

• Recapping the major points about the decision making process would have avoided the embarrassment.
• Following the rules on “giving full attention” probably would have helped.
• Lastly, asking questions would have helped.  Know the “rules” and the process, and be clear about next steps.

I think it was a good lesson, albeit a difficult one.  Don’t miss the point!  There is more to listening than meets the ear.

We look forward to your comments.

Sales professionals know that after the tortuous process of winning customers, account-by-account, it would be literally sinful to have your competitors wrest them from you.  There is truth to that, yet with it comes the fact that the only way that you can keep it from happening is to have a product that no one else offers.  Very few of you are fortunate enough to be able to say that.

As difficult as the process of retaining customers can be, it is a luxury that others would be envious of.  The objective is to have that process be filled with relationship building, as well as experience sharing, coupled with unmatched service.  As far as your competitors, it will make the act of robbing you of your income and your customer so much more difficult.

Most Black sales professionals are working so hard to achieve general acceptance and get past the issues that constitute preference and perception that they are glad for the victory when they reach that goal.  Strengthening the relationship in the following ways could be the difference between being a good sales professional and being a ‘star’ sales performer.

Building that Wall Block by Block

Building that wall is a process.  Whether you are in B2B or B2P, the process is very similar.  Here are some of the main attributes:

• Make the buying experience memorable
• Master the Relationship
• Give unparalleled service
• Expose them to vertical relationships
• Treat them to horizontal relationships
• Give Recognition – Nominate them for Acclaim
• Communicate
• Call in Favors

Don’t think for a moment that relationship building is easy.  It is however the forte’ of the best sales professionals.  Why not you?

Make The Buying Experience Memorable – You cannot just win, you have to look good in doing so.  Gaining the account in the face of strong competition is great.  Winning because you are what the customer needs creates a value that others might not have.  If all else is equal, and you win because the customer perceives that his organization is better off because you are the expert that they need (BSJ – 12/20 Your Customer Needs an Expert) you can now begin the process of securing other sides to the structure you are building.  Being the Consummate Professional (BSJ – 3/7 Be the Consummate Professional) throughout the buying process is just as important.  Buyers may buy for a number of reasons, yet the composite is that they got a great value.  Part of that value is you.

Master the Relationship – You will need to excel in the relationship.  As stated in BSJ January 13^th and January 20^th, Deepening Your Customer Relationship 1&2, your job is to be the expert on this customer.  Establish a customer profile, and work it.  Know the buyer’s family, and his or her most important preferences.  Achieve the level of a  “business friend”, and “business consultant”, during the workday and a social acquaintance during off hours.  This constructs walls that generate a preference all their own.

Give Unparalleled Service – We have talked about giving unparalleled service before in BSJ (Black Sales Journal 1/13 – Deepening Your Customer Relationships).  It will separate you from the other sales professionals.  Remember, this is about being responsive.  Solid follow-up is at the heart of this one.  Do what you say you are going to do; by when you say you are going to do it.

Expose them to Vertical Relationships – You may shutter at this one because you shield your accounts from management, yet it works in a way that cannot be duplicated.  Your confidence as the quarterback will allow you to introduce them to your organizations upper, and in some cases top management.  They will not only feel important, they will feel privileged.  Arrange for them to meet the highest level you can muster.  Lunch or Dinner (if appropriate) could serve as solid forums to give them the feel they need for the organization.  Even a meeting in the office works.   The more important people you clients “know” the better off you are at their time of need.

Expose them to Horizontal and External Relationships – The horizontal relationships can be enriching as well.  Your service team, your sales assistant, and anyone else who helps you make it happen.  I also include in this your ability to include introductions to key accounts that have a like interest in business pursuits including suppliers, Chamber sand other membership groups, etc.  Be the resource that no one else can be for them.  Break the ice for them in relationships with other “like thinking” customers of yours that could benefit them, and build your wall.  They could increase their profits because of you.

Give them Recognition – Sometimes, recognition can go a long way.  An honor bestowed in the form of a luncheon for a customer’s management staff, and a $40.00 plaque can go a long way toward locking them in.  Sincerity in this award is important; yet even more important is doing it correctly.  Be there in person and give some amount of notoriety.  If covered correctly by their newsletter, you might be surprised how far it will go.  In your customer’s mundane world of supplying nuts and bolts, to be recognized as an innovator in warehousing, logistics, safety, and other notable areas is a proud moment.

Communicate, Communicate, And Communicate – You are never at a risk of over communicating.  Communicate early and often, monitoring your communications by summarizing and reducing it to writing.  Give bad news as early as you have it confirmed, and give your good information with the same pattern.  You will be rewarded with credibility, credibility, and more credibility.

Call In Favors – If there was ever some one to do if for, your best customers are it.  Call in favors for your best customers when necessary.  This means you need make sure that when you need it, you have the “capital” in your operation to get something done for your best customers whether it is exceptions or pricing influence.

The Best Value

If you do all of these things, it will represent the best value imaginable for your customer.  The customer will have an engaged, resourceful sales professional.  You will have a client who will always be a  “hard target” for any other sales professional to pick off.  You will need to be competitive, but not always low in price.  You will need a good product, yet not necessarily the industry leader.

The best is that so much of this focuses on you, the sales professional.  Over time, this is almost all about you.

Thanks for reading Black Sales Journal.  We welcome your comments