The Sales Book

Learn more by listening

Objectives

• To understand why listening is critical to effective selling
• To know how to make yourself a better listener
• To use the key elements of active listening to encourage prospects to open up

Understanding

One of the biggest mistakes made about professional sales people is the assumption that they are extroverts who talk a lot. The reality is towards the opposite end of the scale. The majority of consistently successful sales people understand the concept ‘We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak’ (Epictitus or Socrates). Too many inexperienced or less than successful sellers fall into the trap of talking too much, especially in the early stages of their sales calls. Whether ...