What Did You Say? Clearing the Lines of Communication
Article Theme: clear communication
An article by Keith Rosen about clear communication
If you can eliminate communication breakdowns between yourself and your clients, the result will be more sales with fewer headaches.
Breakdowns occur because no one took the time to check if what was
communicated was understood by the people engaged in the conversation. Here
are four easy steps that will assist you in getting clear with your client's
wants, needs and expectations.
1. Ask a Question. Assume you have no idea what the client really wants. The only way to uncover their needs is to first ask questions. Some useful information gathering questions are: “What results are you looking to achieve? What is most important to you? Why? If you could eliminate three of your biggest problems or headaches, what would they be? What factors do you consider when choosing a vender?”
2. Process the Information. Listen carefully to their response. Never interrupt a client. I know it’s hard to stay quiet, but just remember, you don't learn anything that will help you sell from listening to yourself talk.
3. Interpret the Information. What is it they are actually saying? If you are not clear, ask more questions such as, “Can you say more about that?” It shows you are genuinely concerned about understanding exactly what they are sharing with you.
4. Confirm the Information. Summarize what they have shared with you, then respond with a question to confirm understanding. For example, "So what you are looking for is…..” or “What I am hearing is…” Then follow up with, “Is that correct?"
Conversely, if and when you check to see if your communication was clear you may ask questions like, "Do you understand, or "Does that make sense?"
Instead of putting the burden of understanding your message on the other person, put the responsibility on yourself by asking the following questions to determine if what you said was understood.
· Is there anything that you would like me to review with you in more
detail?
· What stands out as important to you?
· What do you see as the next step?
Remember, keep in mind the charge neutral tone you want to maintain when asking these questions (vs. too edgy or condescending.)
If you are looking to make your communication more effective, it is not the other person's responsibility to understand what it is you are saying. It is your job to be understood.
The real meaning behind communication is the response you get. What the person hears, perceives and understands always takes precedent over what you say.
Checking to see if the flow of communication was clear will make the client feel comfortable with you and the decision making process, since they are dealing with a sales professional who takes the time to understand what they really want. This will enable you to fill your client’s exact needs and best service them the first time around, preventing costly mistakes due to faulty communication.
Imagine never hearing, "This is not what I expected," again. Instead, you’ll be hearing the words that would make anyone smile. "Hey, that’s exactly what I wanted."
Take your life and career to the next level.
This article about clear communication presented by Profitbuilders.com