SALES AND MARKETING: The Art of Listening . . . for Success

Thursday, November 26, 2009

SALES AND MARKETING: The Art of Listening . . . for Success

Sales and Marketing with Bill Doerr

15 Second 'Speed Read'

Business people value a timely response from vendors. But they value an effective response even more. Effective listening - combining both active and empathic listening causes you to be seen as a person of interest and value.

This article explains WHY listening can be a challenge and HOW you can develop the ability to listen effectively, build relationships, invite trust and build revenues.

Listening is a Key Skill and Behavior

Public speaking. Everyone has taken a course in it or knows someone who did.

But, Public listening. Whoa! Where did THAT come from? Not so common, is it!

That's a problem. And, an opportunity . . . for you to develop an extremely important skill and artform: Listening.

Listening . . . taking in information and using it to engage, effectively with another person . . . is a skill-set that is not taught in schools. And yet, success in business depends heavily on your ability to process what people are saying and use it effectively.

Steve Porcaro - The Surgical Sales Coach

I had the pleasure of reconnecting with Steve recently. He's been 'on the circuit' a lot lately. He speaks before numerous networking groups, sharing his wealth of knowledge on various ways to improve revenues in these challenging times. Lately, 'listening' has been a very hot topic with his clients. For a good reason. It's a very valuable skill to possess!

"It's all about sales" (or, is it?)

Steve is a business coach who works exclusively with people who are selling medical equipment and services to physicians and other health care professionals.

"Someone becomes my client because he (or, she) is not getting sales as easily or extensively as he'd like. He's not sure why. And often externalizes the source of the problem citing: "It's the economy" or "My company isn't competititve" or something similar."

In many cases, blame-scaping on an external factor . . . the economy, the company, the product, the marketplace, etc. only serves to take the focus (and, pressure!) off of the one constant in every case . . . the person who's responsible for generating new revenues.

Sellling is Like Surgery

Before becoming a 'surgical sales coach' Steve actually was in surgery. A lot. In the US Navy, he was a surgical technician. After leaving the Navy, he sold medical equipment and services to civilian surgeons. So he knows the reality of both selling and surgery, first-hand.

"In surgery, you prep (prepare) the patient BEFORE surgery". Seems obvious. In an operating room! But in the business world . . . in sales . . . your preparation requires your ability and commitment to listen . . . to process what is being said by someone . . . before selling can begin.

"If you don't listen . . . you can't prepare to sell as effectively as you might like . . . and you learn that when, symptomatically, you lose sales you should have won, they take longer to close than you might like or you end up with a lesser sale when a greater one was well within your grasp."

Why People Aren't Listening

I asked Steve, "OK, why . . . aren't more people in business listening effectively - especially when the consequences of not listening are so serious?" "Good question", he said. "If I had to, I'd have to say either:

they don't know how to listen - it is, afterall, a learned skill, not a natural one
they're not used to 'slowing down' and 'digesting' the information they receive from a prospect" (the 'Ready, Aim . . . FIRE! syndrome)
they haven't considered the consequences that not listening effectively will produce
they're in a 'comfort zone' with their current level of success

Once you're receptive to change (Porcaro-speak for 'frustrated beyond all belief') then . . . you are ready to learn how to listen effectively. But, how?

Make 'Bare-handed' Calls!

"You must clear your mind. That way, your focus is on the other person, not you" (I swear, I thought I saw David Carradine there for a moment!) "When you first meet with a prospect for example, I recommend leaving all your brochures, pamphlets, etc. in the car and just seek to answer one simple question . . . "How might I help you, today?" or "What are you hoping I can do for you?" Either one will work!"

This type of question helps you focus on 'getting the top off of the soda bottle'. Unless and until you do that, the bottle's contents . . . the person's hopes, fears, dreams, goals, frustrations, etc. . . . will remain 'locked up' -- unavailable and unable to help anyone.

"It's not easy to do this" says Porcaro. "But it's not impossible, either." Steve believes listening is a learned skill more than a natural ability. "Until you do though, you're focusing more on giving your information to someone, than allowing their information to flow to you".

What's The 'Next Step'?

"Information gained from a focused conversation with someone must lead to a decision". I could imagine the granite rock on which that expression is kept in Steve's brain! Actually, Steve refers to that as the 'Next Step'. "Sometimes, there isn't one. But often there is. And the best one reflects whatever you learned by LISTENING to the other person!"

Everyday we connect with other people. How many of these points-of-contact are producing value . . . for both parties?

Listening effectively . . . actively and empathetically . . . will do much to ensure that you glean something useful from every conversation you have.

Final Thoughts

I asked Steve, "If there's ONE thing you'd like someone to take away from this article, what would it be?". He thought about it and said, "I like what Steven Covey said, "Seek first to understand, then to be understood". There's a sequence there - an orderliness. When I worked with surgeons, their success was always based on proper preparation . . . of the patient as well as themselves and the entire surgical team. Great results are often more reflective of great preparation than anything else. It's no different in business or networking. People. Communication. Every day each of us is exchanging information to create value for ourselves and others. So just remember . . . it all begins with learning how . . . and caring to . . . LISTEN!"

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Steve Porcaro, ACC is the 'Surgical Sales Coach' and founder of 1•4•All Coaching in Windsor, CT. To learn more about Steve and his services you can contact Steve Porcaro, ACC online at: www.14allcoaching.com or by phone at: (860) 243-9757.

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Bill Doerr is CCO of SellMore Marketing. He helps professionals and other service providers to market their problem-solving expertise simply, effectively and affordably.