Communication is derived from Latin origins that describe the idea of oneness of understanding. Communication means a sharing of understanding, meanings, ideas and feelings.

Sales people need to know HOW to communicate, listen not just hear. Listening is important and studies have shown that 75-95% of the working day is spent communicating. Areas that affect listening effectively include selective attention, expectations, fear of being influenced, personal bias, boredom, listening only to words, and poor timing.

If we as sales people want to be better listeners then we need to practice listening. Here are some tips

• Focus on what is being said
• No need to be critical
• Avoid making instant judgments
• Don’t evaluate until the person has finished speaking
• Mustn’t pretend we are listening
• Listening involves body language
• Avoid distractions
• Take notes

Effective listening will result in better outcomes, and when the customer is encouraged to talk to a good listening sales person, they may discover better solutions for the customer. When we listen, not just hear the customer, we understand them better. Listening takes practice - practice - practice.

Some listening practice includes the following, listen to the advertisements on the TV then go away and write down what has been said, come back and compare what had been said to your notes. Listen to the radio and write down what has been said, again advertisements and lyrics.

Selling is a profession that uses these skills and tools with experience and practice. Listening involves preparation which includes concentrating on what we are saying, the tone of our voice, the speed of words etc and Plan Every Word Carefully. We must be able to hear what our customers want.
If we want to understand our customers better we must learn to listen more tentatively.”