One question that many people have when starting a business is how do you “seal the deal” with new customers and then how do you keep them coming back. The key is in your ears! Your ability to actively listen to potential clients is crucial to creating customers.

Have you ever been in a situation where the salesperson just wont stop talking? They can’t stop talking for TWO seconds to even listen to what you are actually looking for. You start to daze off while they are speaking. You are no longer paying attention or caring about the product that you had wanted. You walk away from the product or deal because you didn’t feel any sense of connection to the salesperson. You felt that they only wanted to sell you a product.

As a salesperson, how can you avoid this trap? I have discovered that being an active listener allows me to close more sales than I would have imagined. By listening, I can hear the needs of the client. They will tell me how to sell them the product. Say you are a pen salesperson. You meet a potential customer. They tell you they are needing a new pen. Start asking them about their favorite pen. How did it write? How did it feel in their hand? What did they wish was better about their old pen? These questions will get the person talking about their past experiences. You will hear from them what they are looking for and what they are NOT looking for. By taking the time to engage them in a conversation, you will be able to show them options that will fit their needs.

I know the pen example was very simplistic, but the principles that it shows are true in any circumstance. Engaging a potential customer in a conversation and allowing them to think they are controlling the conversation will lower their guard and it will build trust. They will believe that you, the salesperson, care about them more than just trying to sell them something. By caring, you can also create a repeat customer. They will come back to you to get the great customer service that they experienced