The Most Forgotten Sales Technique

Limitless Selling seminar in April 2014

We all know that questions are among the best tools in your sales presentation. This is because when you ask, they answer, and people will always believe more in what they themselves say than what you say.

The professional salesperson knows that to keep the prospect's attention, you must ask more than you tell. Not just any questions, but skillful questioning that draws prospects out and leads them to a buying decision.

But here's where the normal salesperson miss out: it's not just about asking questions.

There are lots of salespeople out there who have learnt the techniques of asking questions, but they come off as 'canned' and not really sincere because they're not interested in the reply. You ask a question to know a person better because you're really interested, not just to find a hole in their defenses to ram your product through. You ask because so that you can serve them. In short, you ask because you're really interested.

So the most forgotten sales technique is listening. Because if you don't listen, why ask?  Not just any listening, but skillful listening that not listens to what's spoken, but what's not spoken. There are actually 10 things to listen to:

1. Listen to what is said
2. Listen to what's not said
3. Listen to between the lines
4. Listen to the body language
5. Listen to how things are said - tonality, pitch, volume, emphasis, pace, speed and tempo
6. Listen to silence
7. Listen to their breathing, for it indicates their state of mind
8. Listen to feelings and emotions expressed (like laughter)
9. Listen to context, that is, the before and after of what is said
10. Listen to yourself: how you listen

Remember, professional selling is 67% listening, 33% speaking.  Whoever can listen more will the game, it's that simple. Got it?

By Andy Ng, Sales Trainer at Asia Trainers, details of sales courses are at here.  Related articles:

• Not just any questioning, but effective questioning techniques
• The best leaders listen: the 7 voices to listen to
• 7 ways to be a Different Salesperson
• Answers that everyone look for in sales
• Selling the impossible: selling ice to the Eskimos