Most Salespeople Get This So Wrong (Sales Hack)

Summary

• The best salespeople listen more than they talk; they listen twice as much as they speak.
• Super talkative people are often wrongly advised to go into sales; true success in sales comes from listening.
• In a study of sales calls across our portfolio, using AI analysis, it was confirmed that listening more is key to better performance.
• The person answering most of the questions is being interrogated, which is not the position you want to be in as a salesperson.
• Use a "hot potato" technique: when asked a question, respond with a question to keep the prospect talking.
• For example, if asked, "What makes you better than your competition?" reply with, "What things are you looking for?"
• This technique turns the conversation back to the prospect, making them express their own needs and beliefs.
• People believe their own words more than yours, so getting them to articulate their needs and reasons is crucial.
• Ultimately, you need the prospect to convince themselves that it’s a good idea to buy from you, rather than you trying to convince them.

Video

How To Take Action

I would suggest implementing the strategy of listening more in your sales interactions. Start by consciously focusing on listening more than you talk during conversations. Use the "hot potato" technique to keep the prospect talking. For example, if someone asks, "What makes you better than your competition?" respond with, "What things are you looking for?" This way, you shift the focus to the prospect.

A good way of doing this is to practice turning every question you get into another question. If a client asks why something is important, your response should be, "Could you explain why that matters to you?" This encourages them to speak more, and you get valuable insights into their needs.

Also, remember that people believe their own words more than yours. Let the prospect articulate their needs and reasons. This helps them convince themselves that they want to buy from you. It’s more powerful than you trying to convince them.

Create a checklist of common questions your prospects usually ask. Next to each question, write down a corresponding question you can ask in return. Practice these with a colleague or in front of a mirror until it feels natural.

This approach is low-cost and requires just some time and practice. By doing this, you’ll be positioning yourself to understand the prospect better and increase the likelihood of closing the sale without them feeling pressured.