A
salesperson of a financial product met with a potential client, at her
request. He asked her to bring some information with her. The
information was beautifully presented, with relevant facts neatly
arranged. The potential client had spent a lot of time in preparation, and was proud of her efforts. She
casually mentioned something about the work she had done. The
salesperson did not say a word. Later, she twice asked questions about
the commission; the salesperson evaded the question both times. She
was confused about some of the terminology used, and looked puzzled.
The salesperson did not notice, so she had to verbally ask him to
explain. Finally, testing his communication skills further, she gave him
a direct compliment about how well he had explained one concept, and he
beamed with pride.
He tried to close for an immediate sale, but she demurred. She wanted an independent review of the financial product, convinced that she was not being told everything.
Here are the skills the salesperson missed.
1. Notice more than the words; hear the emotions being expressed. Listen for a sense of pride or effort,
especially if it has to do with preparing for your presentation, and
compliment the potential client on it! This could be paperwork prepared
as requested, a room arranged as requested, or even refreshments that
are ready.
2. Answer questions the first time they are asked, and answer them fully.
For example, if it involves compensation, don't say, "The client
doesn't pay. There's a commission arrangement between company A and
company B." Most clients want to know more, such as the commission rate,
which is relevant as it affects their product. Payment of some sort is
expected, but an exceptionally high payment may be of concern. Evasion
of answers causes mistrust, and will affect sales or other persuasion. The client knows that "there is no such thing as a free lunch" and that directly or indirectly, he or she will be paying your commission.
3. Avoid jargon, especially if your client is in another field or you are explaining something technical.
Plain common English is essential. Literally practice your talk in
front of someone from another field, and have the listener write down
all the technical words or other jargon you used. Then try again with
simpler words, and at a slighter slower rate of speech. In addition,
watch the prospective client's face to see if he looks puzzled. If so,
immediately ask if he has any questions. Communication, especially in
sales, is a two way street. You should continually be getting verbal and
non-verbal feedback from the client so you know how to proceed.
4. If you promise something for listening to you, such as a greater knowledge of a topic or how to improve something, make certain your audience gets what you promised. If you use technical words that your audience does not understand, they haven't gotten the information they expect, and this could also cause mistrust. Make certain you use language at a level they can comprehend.
Excellent
communication skills will enhance your ability to sell and to persuade.
Hear the emotions, answer questions fully, avoid jargon and
technical terms, and provide whatever you promised as part of your effort to make communication a two-way
process and build trust. Without some level of trust, there is no business transaction.
You only have one chance to make a great first impression.