The Art of Listening

Are you really listening? It’s easy to say you get it and you know what your customer wants, but take a minute to really think about what your customer is trying to communicate. Look beyond the words and find the meaning of the words. It will help you make the sale more often when you understand their need versus what they say they want. I might say I want to buy a dress, but listening to what I want the dress for and how I want to feel will help a salesperson understand what kind of dress, or even look I am going for.  This happened at my birthday party. I went looking for a dress and even had a specific dress in mind, but when the salesperson pointed out a jump suit with pants, I knew right away it world give me the look I was going after.

A client I’m working with said she needed coaching on getting a website up and running but what she really needed was a way to get more exposure to her offerings. Listening helped me to identify her true needs and solve the problem, (which may include a website at some point) which for now was how to be seen.

Practice the art of listening with your customers, your employees, your vendors, your kids, your spouse, and your friends and watch your life change in a positive way that will stay with you forever.

xo, jan