{"id":1240,"date":"2020-06-26T15:49:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-18T15:49:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/?p=1240"},"modified":"2023-10-18T17:35:33","modified_gmt":"2023-10-18T17:35:33","slug":"quiz-active-listener","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/ca\/blog\/quiz-active-listener\/","title":{"rendered":"Quiz: Are You An Active Listener?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Unless they\u2019re being particularly direct \u2014 and feel compelled to proactively further your professional development as a salesperson \u2014 you\u2019ll rarely hear a customer say something like, \u201cYou\u2019re not actively listening to me!\u201d<\/p>\n

The consequences of failing to develop active listening<\/a> tend to be less obvious than that, at least at first. <\/p>\n

A customer that seemed interested in a particular product suddenly stops replying to messages and follow ups. <\/p>\n

Later, you might learn they went with a competitor, albeit with a product or service that had been customized for them in some way. <\/p>\n

It might have been customized in a way that you could have offered as well, had you properly understood their needs. <\/p>\n

Active listening would have been one way to ensure you didn\u2019t miss those kinds of details. But at that point, of course, it\u2019s too late. <\/p>\n

Sometimes salespeople don\u2019t spend enough time listening because it\u2019s been so difficult to even get in front of a customer. Even when the meeting or call is in response to a customer\u2019s specific request, it might feel like the clock is ticking. <\/p>\n

As a result, the default mode in sales is to pitch, persuade and close the deal. <\/p>\n

The best salespeople, however, have learned that active listening is a vital part of the selling process<\/a>. It\u2019s a way of taking what customers say and selling as a way of meeting their needs or solving their problems, rather than convincing them to part with their money. <\/p>\n

Those managing sales teams will often spend time working with reps to refine their pitch, or to help them make better sense of the data in their CRM. Those are both very important areas, but cultivating active listening is also important if you want your win rate to go up. <\/p>\n

Use the following questions to start this process with a bit of a self-assessment. It\u2019s easy to do: Just answer based on whether you seldom do these things (1) sometimes (2) frequently (3) or usually (4):<\/p>\n

____ I make eye contact with the customer when I\u2019m listening: You may need to sell using slides, a paper document or even your phone, but don\u2019t be glued to it. <\/p>\n

____ I don\u2019t allow distractions<\/a> when I\u2019m intent on listening to a customer: They may have weird art on their office walls. There may be people who keep walking past the windows. Your phone might keep vibrating. Be a rock that can\u2019t be moved. <\/p>\n

____ I\u2019m open to customer viewpoints that are different from my own: It\u2019s not easy to be told you\u2019re wrong, especially when you\u2019re trying to sell, but you need to be open enough to understand why. <\/p>\n

____ I tend to listen for more than just a \u201cyes\u201d from a customer: You have your goal, but it shouldn\u2019t be treated as such a priority that you wind up damaging your customer relationship. Treat this moment for what it is: a conversation. <\/p>\n

____ I try not to form my next response while listening to a customer: Reps are trained to overcome common objections, but don\u2019t make this too reflexive. Instead, allow yourself enough mental space to make sure there\u2019s not something different about the objection this time around.<\/p>\n

____ I try to avoid being defensive when a customer is venting negative emotions: It\u2019s tempting to think, \u2018I\u2019ll just wait until they\u2019re done complaining and then shift it back to what I\u2019m selling.\u2019 Don\u2019t. <\/p>\n

____ I try to recognize the emotion under the customer\u2019s words: They might seem terse but they might really be just tense. Or afraid. Remember that you\u2019re there to help. <\/p>\n

____ I avoid leaping to conclusions when listening to a customer: \u201cThis is it; they\u2019re not buying,\u201d your subconscious tells you when a customer\u2019s feedback seems negative. Don\u2019t listen to your subconscious. Listen to your customer. <\/p>\n

____ I don\u2019t assume a certain level of understanding in my customers when speaking: It\u2019s so easy to sell with jargon and buzzwords that are disconnected from what customers know. Make sure when you respond you\u2019ve heard the way they prefer to describe certain trends or needs. <\/p>\n

____ I can easily paraphrase what the customer said in my own words: This is a great thing to do as you formulate a response. Just doing a quick \u201cHave I got that right?\u201d before you continue shows the customer you\u2019re really paying attention. <\/p>\n

____ Total<\/p>\n

If you scored anywhere from about 35-to 40, your active listening skills are on point \u2014 and you\u2019ve probably already met your quota for the month. If it\u2019s less than that \u2014 particularly if it\u2019s far less than that \u2014 it\u2019s time to make active listening more of a deliberate practice<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Next time, try this with your manager, a fellow rep or even a friend and family member: Have them play the role of customer, and let them take the lead in a make-believe meeting. <\/p>\n

After you\u2019ve done \u2014 where you\u2019ve attempted to make a sale \u2014 have them use these same questions, but have them grade you, rather than grading yourself. What was their impression of your active listening skills? Depending on the outcome, repeat this exercise until your score improves. <\/p>\n

Active listening skills often need to be carefully developed, particularly in a role like sales. Fortunately it\u2019s a skill that\u2019s highly attainable \u2014 and once you have it, you might enjoy selling even more than you did before.<\/p>\n

<\/span> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Unless they\u2019re being particularly direct \u2014 and feel compelled to proactively further your professional development as a salesperson \u2014 you\u2019ll rarely hear a customer say something like, \u201cYou\u2019re not actively listening to me!\u201d
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