Sales Skills - Active Listening

Closing techniques, presentation and understandingand focus on what your customer is telling you
your customer is based on how well you caninstead of just focusing on closing the sale.  This
listen. Being able to actively listen can improveallows you to develop a true interest in actually
your sales skills.  Unfortunately, listening is not ahelping them and providing them with a solution. 
skill that is completely developed by most- Make your customer feel heard.  This involves
salespeople. making sure that your customer feels as if they
The ability to actively listen takes focus,are being listened to by clarifying what they had
concentration, patience and interpreting yourpreviously said during the conversation.  Ask
customer's ideas correctly.  Interpretingquestions and rephrase comments in your own
nonverbal communication such as body language iswords to make sure that you have also
also important.  Good listening skills requireunderstood what they have said.
emotional and intellectual effort which can only be- Lookout for what is not stated. If you feel as if
acquired through practice. your customer is sending mixed messages, ask
Miscommunication damages and deterioratesquestions to dig deeper.
relationships.  Being a good listener allows you toThe ability to listen is one of the sales skill that
improve the quality of your relationships withhas to be learned and practiced.  Being a good
customers, friends, family and colleagues.  Failurelistener allows you to receive and process
to fully listen usually results in missed opportunitiesinformation from your customer that you could
and mistakes. Below are some tips on improvinghave missed otherwise.  When you give your
your listening skills:customer your focus and attention, they usually
- Stay present.  Be open-minded when listeningreciprocate.