Take the following short exercise. I want to demonstrate something to you. For this to work, you need to get through the entire mini-exercise.

Reading: Part 1
Read the following:
I had the privilege several years ago of working with a sales professional named Tom, who was in his sixties. He was a member of a sales force whose average age I would estimate at around 35. He was the “old man.”

However, the “old man” outsold, year after year, all the younger folks who worked with him. I worked with Tom for almost an entire week as part of a program to have the sales force work with sales managers other than their assigned sales manager.

I didn’t teach him a thing. But, I learned something from him. I learned the value of listening. Tom hung on every word his customers said. He never presumed he knew the answer to their needs before they had a chance to talk. He didn’t finish their sentences.

Guess who his customers always came to for solutions to problems? I guess I don’t need to tell you his referral business was substantial too.

Not actively listening is the number one complaint customers have about those of us in sales. Tom didn’t have that problem. His sales showed us the power of listening.

Reading: Part 2
Read the following:
Surveys show that sales professionals who listen attentively to customers can increase sales by 50% or more.

Your One-Question Test
Here’s your test question.

Which reading had the biggest impact on you?
a.) Reading: Part 1
b.) Reading: Part 2

And The Answer Is…
I think we all can guess what most people will answer. As you may have figured out, I’m not dispensing listening sales tips today. The essential purpose of today’s sales blog is not to reinforce the importance of listening, but to demonstrate how much more powerful we can be when we integrate our point around a story.

“Part 1″ gave us a story with a person and a compelling reason why listening is critical in sales and explained the benefits it brings. “Part 2″ was nothing more than a boring transmittal of essentially the same information.

One Of History’s Oldest Sales Tips
Story telling is the oldest form of communication and, as a result, it is an ancient sales skill. We’re conditioned to listen to stories from youth. Wrap a selling point around a relevant story and watch the magic with your customers. Your customers have it in their DNA to get absorbed in what you are saying when you make selling part of a story.

Anyone can rattle off facts and figures. Weave that information into a story that is relevant and meaningful to the customer, and you instantly build a communication bridge that is powerful and timeless.

©2010 Scott R. Sheaffer

Related posts:

1. The Four Most Powerful Words in Sales
2. You Were Born With This Sales Tool – Use It Wisely
3. A Powerful Sales Tool You’ll Use Every Day – And It’s Free

Tags: language, listening, questions, skills, speaking

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