Want to Sell More? Pipe Down and Listen Up

By Barbara Findlay Schenck

Here’s a counterintuitive formula for achieving greater sales success: Stop pitching and start listening.

Most customers would rather talk than be talked at. They want to maintain control. So instead of grabbing the wheel and steering the deal, let the customer take the driver’s seat while you slip into the role of navigator. Once you establish where the customer wants to go, recommend a route for getting there, reroute around obstacles, tune in to directional concerns and negotiate roadblocks without ever taking your eye off the destination.

Listening, instead of talking, works in good economic times and rocky economic times alike. “The questions you ask customers might differ,” says Dawn Garzoli, director of sales for family-owned Nelson Staffing in Northern California, “but what remains consistent is the need to commit to listening, which develops a collaborative partnership that ultimately leads to more sales.”

In fact, listening is more important than ever during down economic times, when it’s easy to assume people just aren’t buying.

“The economic news says one thing, but if you ask thought-provoking questions, customers may tell you something far different,” says Garzoli. “You may learn that while the customer’s business has changed, with the changes come new opportunities that you’ll only hear about if you’re listening instead of talking.” She tells her sales team to imagine the customer saying, “Don’t tell me. Ask me and I’ll tell you everything.”

For your own sales success, follow these tips:

Ask, don’t tell. Make listening your top priority. By asking effective questions you prompt your customer to reveal wants and needs, share concerns and buy into the sales transaction while you become the customer’s knowledgeable, credible business partner.

Listen, don’t talk. Garzoli likens an effective sales conversation to a game of table tennis. You say something, then the customer says something, then it’s your turn again, and back and forth it goes. To encourage your customer to speak more, say even the smallest phrase, such as “uh-huh,” or “good point,” and you put the volley back in the customer’s court. If a silence follows, don’t jump in to fill it. Your customer may need the time. Sales trainers encourage these pauses, which are often followed by customer insights or buying decisions.

Collaborate, don’t assume. Assumptions reveal what you’re thinking and may be far different from the customer’s reality. When you ask and listen, your customer will share the accurate information you need to provide a good solution. Follow this advice:

Stay focused on the customer’s goal. Ask questions that get customers not only talking, but describing what they want to achieve, so you can address their needs.

Revolve the conversation around the customer’s situation. Instead of saying, “My purpose today is. …” or “I’d like to show you our solution. …,” redirect the discussion from your needs to those of your customer. For example, “Based on what you’ve shared, I think this solution would have a strong impact on your business. …”

Ask multipart questions. You’ll get the most useful information by linking a thought-provoking question with an action term that invites the customer to participate as you map out the sales solution. For instance, “Share with me the process you’re following and the key decision points you’re dealing with.” Or, “Based on the importance of the needs you’ve outlined, help me understand the total amount you plan to invest in a solution and what areas we haven’t yet discussed.”

See how it works? By asking the right questions and listening to the answers, you’ll establish a collaborative relationship that leads to a positive solution for your customer and stronger results for your business.

Barbara Findlay Schenck is a small-business strategist, the author of “Small Business Marketing for Dummies,” and the co-author of “Branding for Dummies,” “Selling Your Business for Dummies” and “Business Plans Kit for Dummies.”