The Secret Language of Influence: Master the One Skill Every Sales Pro Needs by DAN SEIDMAN

Author:DAN SEIDMAN [SEIDMAN, DAN]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Amacom - A
Published: 2012-04-10T14:00:00+00:00

So, you’ve just heard your prospect speak. What exactly have you absorbed, and how will it affect your response? Your ability to pick up as many of these “hidden” clues as possible will affect how well you gain rapport with prospects.

Here, then, are the key things to pay attention to when listening:

What emotions are being expressed? And if the speaker’s style is clinical or emotionless in expression, what emotions should exist based on the content (i.e., the story or information) shared? It might be hope or joy at the goals that can be attained. There might be frustration or despair at the size of the problem that needs solving. Chapter 9 is dedicated to how to create an emotional context during selling.

What is the speaker’s dialect? In other words, what do the person’s word choices tell you about how this person processes information? Here we want to identify whether the individual is visual (“See what I mean?”), auditory (“Sounds like we could …”), or kinesthetic/tactile (“It feels like the right way to go”). Remember, these dialects are also referred to as representational or “rep” systems.

What is the speaker’s pace? Pay attention to the pace (speed) of speech, the energy in the voice, the volume, or any other specific manner that reveals the way people discuss the topic in front of them.

Your job now, as you respond, is to match the speaker’s emotion, rep system, and other manner of speech. You should also use “You” language before “I” language. This enhances rapport and keeps you totally focused on being other-centered.

So, as an example, consider this response: “Wow, it’ll be a huge relief to solve this concern. You’ve been looking for a way to solve this problem for a while, and my job is to show you how it can happen.” This answer respects emotion (frustration), rep system (visual), pace or energy (or speed at which the person communicates), and the “You” focus.

To enhance your skill in hearing the person as clearly as possible, I recommend you practice in your personal and professional life. Ask friends or family members to speak about something they are passionate about—a hobby, a news item, a recent experience. You can then practice a response that feeds back the person’s emotion, rep system, and pace, ending with a question for further information (just what you want to do on a sales call). Don’t forget the other elements of good listening, too, such as providing verbal and physical affirmation and maintaining good eye contact.

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