Sales Communication

Effective sales communication is the key to sales success. Most people have never learned to communicate effectively and as a result of this, they often experience poor sales, a breakdown in communication, frustration, and resistance. Selling something can often be a tough call, but if you have mastered the art of effective sales communication on more than one level, you at least have a fighting chance to pull off a successful sale.

Sales communication is about much more than telling the customer why they should consider buying your product. To be effective, you must be able to use body language as well as verbal skills to project your message across. You must also be an expert at interpreting the verbal and non verbal clues from your recipient in order to adapt your technique.

Many ineffective sales people are far too busy listening to the sound of their own voice to pay much attention to what the customer might be thinking. It is only when they realize the customer has diverted their attention elsewhere and the sale is now dead in the water that the penny finally drops.

It is very important that you continually verify that the customer is fully conversant with what you are trying to tell them. It is also vital that you do not let your own prejudices affect the way you deal with a potential customer. They might walk into the car showroom looking like there is no way they can afford to buy a wreck, let alone an expensive saloon, but you might discover too late that in fact they had a pocket full of cash!

Always ensure that the other person hears you. It does not matter so much what you say as long as they get your message loud and clear. In return, make sure that you listen to what they are saying to you. They need to feel that you are listening to them, and that you understand their requirements. There is no point in spending two hours trying to sell a complete set of double glazing when the family only ever wanted a new back door. That is a waste of your time and theirs.

Eye contact is an essential part of non verbal sales communication. Any sales person who avoids eye contact will instantly be perceived as “shifty” and untrustworthy. Once you have been categorized as dodgy in some way, you may as well head home now as there is no way you can possibly hope to achieve a successful outcome.

Keep a close eye on the other person’s voice pitch, tone, or volume. These can often be useful indicators of an intention to buy, or the beginning of a rejection to your sales pitch. You also need to watch their body language as this can sometimes give you plenty of clues as to their real thoughts, as opposed to what they might be telling you.

Use the person’s name frequently in the course of your sales communication. It might sound obvious, but it is the best way of stressing that they are more than just a potential sale. Make the person feel important and they are far more likely to listen to what you are saying. When they are talking to you, tilt your head slightly to one side to convey that you are paying very close attention to their every word. Again, this helps to reinforce the concept that you care what they think and that they are important.

Towards the end of the sales communication, try to repeat the key points of your discussion, just to cement the ideas you are trying to impart to the client. Always end the sales pitch with a compliment to make them feel good about the whole experience. Even if they are not interested in your product, you still want them to remember you in a positive light since they might recommend you to a friend or acquaintance.

If the final outcome of the sales communication was not what you hoped for, always take the time to consider how you could have improved your sales communication skills. There is always room for improvement, no matter how successful you think you are.

For more information on Communication Training or Sales Training please follow the links.