| Effective communication skills are essential | | | | you'll get the response you desire. It's |
| to successful business development. Yet | | | | manipulative. Try shifting to a consultative |
| they're often under-emphasized and sometimes | | | | approach where you're seen as a advisor or |
| completely ignored. Why? Because we | | | | problem-solver.4. Failing to adapt to the |
| communicate so much and so often | | | | situation. The problem with using a sales |
| (approximately 20,000 words per day) we often | | | | script is that it assumes too much. It |
| take it for granted. But regardless of how | | | | assumes similar motivators, perspectives and |
| good your product or service is and how much | | | | situations in life. A financial planner I |
| expertise you have in your area, it all goes | | | | know has developed a very clever approach to |
| to waste unless you can communicate it to | | | | meeting clients. He places bowls near the |
| others. When you actually get the chance to | | | | cash registers of higher-end restaurants in |
| sit down with a potential client and discuss | | | | his territory. On each bowl, he places a |
| doing business together, don't blow it by | | | | small sign encouraging patrons to drop their |
| committing one of these big five business | | | | business card in for a chance at a free meal |
| development blunders.1. Talking about your | | | | at that restaurant. He goes through the |
| product or service. Infodumping is simply | | | | cards periodically and invites someone to |
| telling someone all there is to know about | | | | lunch with the understanding that he'd like a |
| what you're selling. You probably cover how | | | | few minutes to talk about his services. When |
| long you've been in business, who developed | | | | I met him for lunch, he presented his sales |
| what, your philosophy of business, your | | | | talk that assumed A. I had taken on a big |
| market share and all the choices you have | | | | mortgage to finance my house (I didn't) B. I |
| available. This approach is likely to leave | | | | had to save for a child's college fund (I |
| the potential client in exactly the same | | | | don't) and C. that my parents might someday |
| place on the sales continuum as when you | | | | need assisted living care (they're both |
| started. Your objective should be to get him | | | | dead). Treat each meeting as unique and don't |
| to gravitate towards you. Go into your | | | | assume too much.5. Failing to distinguish |
| meeting with a strategic goal. What | | | | features from benefits. Salespeople often |
| specifically do you want him to know, do or | | | | focus on telling someone what a product or |
| believe after meeting with you. Is it to | | | | service is or does at the expense of what |
| place an order, sign up for a trial or | | | | problem it solves or what pain it takes away. |
| believe you're the only logical choice? Once | | | | I once observed a commercial leasing agent |
| you have a strategic goal, your destination | | | | show office space. As he met the clients in |
| is in sight and you can begin mapping a route | | | | the building foyer, he commented on the large |
| to get there.2. Not listening. No | | | | parking lot outside. That was a feature |
| salesperson has ever listened herself out of | | | | statement. A benefit statement would have |
| a sale. Yet, when asked a simple question, | | | | focused on how clients would never have to |
| many salespeople take it as a license to | | | | search for parking or that people could |
| deliver a monologue. Here are three tips to | | | | always park close to the building in bad |
| practice better listening. First, use | | | | weather. Let's say your product includes a |
| questions to discover what's important. If | | | | video-that's only a feature. The benefit is |
| the potential client says "tell me about | | | | that someone can see exactly how to use your |
| yourself (or your product or service or | | | | product. Apply this test to the statements |
| company)", respond with "what would you like | | | | you make-ask the "so what" question. If you |
| to know" or "what aspect is most important to | | | | can't answer it, you've got a feature rather |
| you in making a decision?" Second, never | | | | than a benefit.Developing good communication |
| talk continuously for more than a couple of | | | | skills is a result of thinking more |
| minutes without giving the other person an | | | | strategically about how communication affects |
| opportunity to speak. Third, don't correct | | | | our interactions with others, then putting |
| the other person unless it's absolutely | | | | those strategies into play. When you avoid |
| essential for the discussion to proceed-it | | | | these top five blunders of business |
| rarely is and no one likes to be told he's | | | | development, you'll not only gain more |
| wrong.3. Using sales clichés. People | | | | business, you'll lose less. Remember, if |
| usually begin to lose interest the moment | | | | your idea is important, it deserves to get |
| they feel they're being sold. They usually | | | | heard.As the leading authority on the |
| begin feeling that way when they hear stock | | | | language of influence, Dr. Joseph Sommerville |
| phrases such as "That's a great question" or | | | | shows professionals how to increase sales, |
| "What will it take to get your business | | | | visibility and credibility through more |
| today?" People need to feel like | | | | persuasive communication. He is the |
| individuals, not like pieces in an assembly | | | | President of Peak Communication Performance ( |
| line. Sales clichés operate on a | | | | a Houston-based firm that helps professionals |
| Pavlovian model-use a specific phrase and | | | | develop skills in strategic communication. |