Salespeople don’t hold all of the cards anymore. With a quick Google search and some browsing, prospects can gather as much information about a product as a salesperson has.
As a result, it’s harder for salespeople to demonstrate their expertise. And if they can’t demonstrate expertise, it becomes all the more difficult to establish credibility and eventually build trust. Without credibility and trust, a salesperson will likely lose the interest of their prospect ... or worse, never really gain their interest.
So what should salespeople do? Simple: Invest in listening. As John Doerr writes, reps who don’t listen miss the opportunity to build rapport, uncover buyer needs, and let the prospect know you understand their world.
Trouble is, listening can be very difficult. Too often, salespeople are waiting for their turn to talk or thinking about what to say next, instead of truly listening to the prospect. To eliminate this habit, I’ve taught the reps who have reported to me over the years a very specific skill: Active listening. read the rest here