Evaluate what you hear
On the phone, clients communicate in two ways: words and tone.
What is significant here is that research shows that as much as 86 percent of a message delivered over the phone is through the tone of a voice. This is particularly important when it comes to buying signals and objections.
For example, suppose you ask a client if improved delivery is important to them and they give you a neutral-toned reply of "yes," then chances are it's not a big issue. If they give you a more resounding reply of "yes," you've struck a key point. This is where you want to dig deeper and explore the implications. The real point here is that you need to be alert to the subtleties of communication.
The same holds true with objections. Suppose you respond to an objection and then ask the client, "....does that clear that point up?" If the client responds rather lamely "yes," you can bet your bottom dollar (and the sale) that you have NOT cleared things up. You need to act on the tone and clarify.
Source: Sales consultant Jim Domanski
|
