Spoiler alert. You won’t learn anything new by reading this post but read it anyway. The lesson I share is important and will always be important to your success as a salesperson … but sometimes we forget it.
So, I’m about halfway through a four-hour flight home to Orlando from Denver. I’m sitting next to a charming couple from Sacramento who are looking forward to some Disney time. (To be candid, the man is looking forward to drinking around the world at EPCOT.) The three of us have been having fun whispering about this guy behind us. The dude won’t shut up about himself. He’s unreal. I know every detail about how he and his wife met, dated, got married, etc. I know how his law practice has opened offices out west and he’s the guy that opens them and gets them rolling. I know about downtown Park City because he’s described every detail. I know how he and his wife juggle their crazy schedules and manage to raise two kids. I know his strategy in buying the Epic ski pass each year. He’s used the phrase “That’s a funny story” seventeen times, at least. I want to kill the guy.
So, instead of pummeling him on the way to the bathroom (which I may still do), I’ve decided to write this blog post about an important lesson that he has violated all night. What is it? Well, if you’ve been in sales for more than three days, you already know…
Listen more than you speak. Way more. Like five times more.
There are so many benefits to listening to your customers and allowing them to speak: you’ll have a deeper understanding of your client’s scenario; you’ll see and hear things that they may not be directly communicating; and you’ll provide an ear that many customers need. Most importantly, your customers won’t want to kill you.
So, that’s it for today. Listen more than you speak. Remember, God gave you two ears and only one mouth for a reason!
