May Newsletter:

This issue will deal with LISTENING

We live in Florida, which means we can go for long walks on the beach in the early (or late) hours and we can enjoy the quiet. Oh sure, there are other walkers talking quietly, there are some birds hovering around talking to one another as they will but the best part is just listening to the quiet. The gentle sound of the Gulf as it rolls in and out, the occasional bit of traffic that tells you that you aren't really alone - that's ok.

I was at a recent seminar and the facilitor was lamenting that you can train all kinds of skills - and in my training we are looking at: telephone communication versus face to face selling; basic communication by phone; features, benefits and needs; questioning skills, closing skills, objection handling. These are all CRUCIAL but the one skill you probably cannot train is LISTENING.

How often have you hung up the telephone and realized that you probably only heard half of what you were told or you feel you missed the important part of the phone call. It is hard work to listen. It is really much easier to talk at the prospect about how terrific your product or service is, to tell them all of the information you think they MUST know NOW.

If listening is one of your areas for improvement, you know it because you are frequently getting things wrong, orders incorrect, and days/dates wrong, other facts a bit fuzzy, then you need to practice. Yes, practice listening. I do it all the time. I catch myself if I am losing interest and almost literally pull myself back into the moment.

How often have I taken a call where the person is skillful at asking me questions about my business, about how I manage to take deal with, or when do I do that - then that sales person proceeds to talk at me again about their own agenda, not mine, nothing to do with me or my answers.

How often have you taken a call where the person is skillful at asking me questions about your business, about how you manage to deal with this, or when do you do that - then that sales person proceeds to talk at you again about their own agenda - ignoring what you said completely. I have experienced that. Have you ever done that?

How to Contact Me

Phone (727) 421-8818
kathy@telephoneeffectiveness.com

Kathy wants to listen to your own challenges
As you think about your next "lunch and learn" or weekly sales meeting be sure to put it on Kathy's calendar! She has experience to draw from because she has worked internationally with over 500 businesses and can talk the talk! Her ideas, tips and thoughts will change the way you do business over the telephone immediately that will bring you business! You'll find Kathy is a GREAT listener and will be happy to talk about any individual challenges. Call Kathy at (727) 421-8818.

The Right Question at the Right Time
(the MOST under trained and mis-used sales skill - can be yours!)

The Right Question at the Right Time is an integral part of winning business! How to build on information and how to establish the EXACT need and timing of a potential sale is not just the secret to success it is success!

The next 3 hour session that deals specifically with the SCIENCE OF QUESTIONS. Contact Kathy immediately to start asking what you want to ask to get what you need to get! (kathy@telephoneeffectiveness.com)

Investment is $109.00.The April Workshop was sold out, register now for June 9th and July 14th. We have limited these to 8 delegates per class to ensure that each attendees challenges are addressed.

Someone I know in the business, Art Sobczak and whose council I still seek directly, or thorough his newsletters or his web-site (www.BusinessByPhone.com) does sum it up very succinctly: SHUT UP...

I preferred the gentler "Listening" title, but Art has it right: -Keep in mind that whatever you say about your product or service in the presentation/ recommendation part of the call isn't anywhere nearly as good as it could be if you let them, and encourage them to continue talking. Talk with them, not at them.

PAUSE, after they seemingly have finished an answer or statement. This ensures you don't interrupt, but more importantly, they might keep talking. The one who fills that space first, loses.

And my favorite, which I do practice more often than I should admit ... I am not sure where I heard this first and it is something that you MUST adopt immediately.

-Hit the "Mute" button on your phone if you need to prevent yourself from butting in.

TIPS

If you feel you missed something, ask. Use the person's name and say something like:
"Mark, I am not sure I totally understood that point, can you..." If you do not ask, it will come back to haunt you, I promise!!!

TRICKS

My own personal trick to help me with my listening is to make notes. When I am on the phone, I always have a paper and pen handy and I writer down what is being said. I use the person's name to keep me in the moment and, more important, if something is said that doesn't quite 'work' for me, I circle it which reminds me to come back to it later.

TRADITIONS

Of course, one way that you can help with your listening skills is to Plan (April Newsletter) what you are going to say, what you need to know and decide what is nice to know so you can free your mind for active listening.

Quote of the Day

"Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you'd have preferred to talk."  Doug Larson

kathy@telephoneeffectiveness.com
727 421 8818