Do You Talk Too Much?
I saw a T-shirt the other day that said, "Help! I'm talking and I can't shut-up!"
Perhaps you've felt like that, either about someone else or yourself. How many times have you heard, "If you ask him the time of day, he'll tell you how to build a clock." Some people just talk too much, we notice them immediately. How often have you seen a salesperson talk themselves out of a sale?
Here are some thoughts on why people talk too much, and what can be done about it.
Divergent Thinking-this thinking pattern radiates away from the center in every direction. This leads to new thoughts, ideas, and possibilities; however, it doesn't lead a prospect to a conclusion. Here the salesperson wants to learn to focus.
Convergent Thinking-leads to concrete results, like closing a sale. A Certified Sales Professional will practice convergent thinking so that each thought leads to the closed sale.
Anxiety-the nervous salesperson will inundate the prospect with words. By refusing to render control of the conversation the salesperson is protecting themselves from the possibility of rejection. The true sales professional knows that rejection is simply part of the sales game and not to be avoided. Each rejection brings you closer to the next sale, each objection another opportunity to sell your solution.
Time Warped-some salespeople lose track of their time as they meet with the prospect. Set a specific limit for each meeting and stick to it. If you have a long-winded prospect, remind them of your time limit, "I have another 10 minutes to get you started with the program. Why don't we get the paperwork finished." If you need a meeting to be specially brief, meet standing up. Time is Money, keeping to your time budget is as important as any other valuable resource.
Preparation-when the subject is fuzzy it requires more words to communicate it. Preparation and rehearsal will focus your thoughts on the sale. A well thought out, prepared, and rehearsed sales presentation will take less time to deliver with greater results than an extemporaneous meeting where you "wing it." Preparation makes the difference between the novice and the champion.
Define Your Objective-do you know why you're there? Define your meeting objective clearly, is this meeting a "closing meeting," or is this the beginning of a long sales process? Are you selling the prospect on the concept of your service or simply explaining why your program is superior to the one in place. Defining your objective will allow you to focus your attention on the prospect's needs and keep extraneous words from sabotaging the meeting.
Listen-listening to your prospect's objections and comments will give you the ammunition to close the sale. You will lay each objection to rest while showing how your service will meet your prospect's needs if you listen carefully for the true objections. Ask probing questions, then wait. The answer will bring you closer to a successful end by showing you which point to focus on next.
Remember: Selling is 30% talking and 70% listening.
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