Wednesday, November 19, 2014

The Link Between Sales, Relationships and the Art of Communicating Well

They are not all that different. They are all about relationships.

In sales we talk a lot of how one must sell the 'benefits' of the product and not its 'features'.

Features are about 'us'. Benefits are about 'them'. When we talk about 'us' chances are that they are not really interested. Because they want to hear about 'them' and how we can be useful to 'them'.

Much of sales is about grabbing their attention. Be it movies, stories, ads, speeches, sales pitches, presentations  - nothing works if you cannot grab their attention. If you cannot get them to think - hey he is talking to me, about me.

The best way is to pitch what you are selling in a way that benefits the other person. Not about you.

Talk about them. Get them involved in the story. Tell them how it benefits them. They are hooked.

Get yourself out of the way.

Talk to the other person from their perspective. Watch how sales are closed. When sales are closed, relationships are built.

It is the art of communicating at it best. Of listening. Of communicating.

Let me remind you again. This was not about sales.

It was about relationships.


2 comments:

Rajendra said...

actually experienced this yesterday at one of the better sales presentations from our digital marketing partner. First three slides were rambling, but when they started talking benefits to us clients, it was extremely absorbing!

Harimohan said...

Thanks Prof. Coming from a marketing expert that validates that particular thought for the day.