Deafness and… Pitching that survey…

Deafness and … Avoiding it

When we’re talking it’s hard to listen. But when we stop talking and don’t hear what that prospect or customer is saying that’s a big problem. In sales speaking well is important. But listening is downright critical. We all know the validity of that point, but are we practicing that basic rule of good communication?

At its worst we hear the words but don’t listen to the message. That’s tone deafness.

It’s in play when that other person says something and we simply either choose to ignore it – or we are so blindly focused on delivering our message that we unconsciously blow right past it.

Admittedly we all suffer from a degree of this communication failure. But what we’re talking about here is a special kind of deafness that’ll undermine even the smoothest presentation based on the very best possible idea.

Maybe one answer is to practice what some experts call “mindfulness”. That’s simply the practice of focusing on what we’re doing in the moment. If it’s enjoying that steak, it means stopping to experience its marbled texture and really savoring its flavor. In selling it’s focusing on that reply and then really hearing all of it.

Pitching that survey… Better than nothing

Believing that what we’re pitching is the best choice for that prospect is actually an unknown. And that’s true because when we make that initial contact chances are good that we’re clueless about the conditions in the back of the house, or in the wash isle of that laundry.

When that’s the case there’s a simple corrective step. It’s asking for the opportunity to conduct a short survey. Well duh! But of course the challenge is that the prospect may not be open to that idea. So perhaps what we need is a better way of asking for that opportunity.

There’s a low risk, high gain way to present that idea. It goes like this: “Mr. Smith, I don’t know if a new idea that’s dramatically lowered costs (or improved results, etc.) for other operations is something that will work in yours…

But to see if it will I’d like to take a quick look around. If it does, I’ll give you a two minute outline, and you can decide. If I don’t see a fit, I’ll say bye as I leave and not waste any of your time. Fair enough?”

This approach may not always work, but it’s better than a turn away that gets us nowhere.