Be an Excellent Listener

We live in a world where there are many demands on our time. That is true not only for you, but for your customers and colleagues, too. 

These time demands mean that it can be harder to get meetings with customers. 

So when you do get in front of your customers (or colleagues) it is important not to waste their time, or yours. There is a reason for the meeting so have a plan on how to accomplish those objectives. 

In any meeting there is ideally an information exchange. And hopefully that goes both ways. 

To make sure you get the information you need from the meeting you must learn to be an Excellent Listener.

Some meetings are really product or service presentations. For those meetings you will be talking more than listening. 

In those cases I recommend allowing 25-30% of the allotted time for discussion. 

You want to make sure the customer understands what you’ve presented and be able to address any questions.

Most meetings, however, are about gathering information from a customer or potential customer. You are listening for a customer to express their needs and/or issues. 

For these types of meetings, and for the discussion part of a presentation, here are some recommendations on how to be an Excellent Listener:

•    Be prepared. Not knowing what you want to get or a plan on how to get it will not be helpful, and it will waste everyone’s time. Have a call plan and use it.
•    Remove distractions. Turn off your phones or put them on silent. Give them your full attention. Make them feel like you value their time.
•    Don’t talk too much to make a point. Make the point, look for acknowledgement, and move on. Learn to be comfortable with silence too.
•    Get confirmation on what the customer says. It reinforces your memory and lets them know you’re listening.
•    Unless you’re giving a presentation, you shouldn’t provide more than 60% of the data exchanged. But in most instances I prefer to think of it another way: you have two ears and one mouth so use them in that proportion in the meeting. 
•    The more you let the customer talk, the more you will learn.
•    And lastly, follow up. Whether it is to confirm the meeting outcome or to ask for additional information/clarification, follow up with them.

Being an Excellent Listener makes your customer feel like they are more than just a sale. It makes them feel like there is more of a partnership. 

And being an Excellent Listener may also lead to the following:

•     Better customer satisfaction
•     More effective information sharing
•     Better understanding
•     Better results

For more information about how The Cobalt Group can help you with any business or leadership challenges you are facing, Contact us.

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