The Art of Paying Attention

“Prospects and customers are people and can’t hear a salesperson’s great solution until they feel like the salesperson has heard them.” ~ Colleen Stanley from EI for Sales Leadership

“you can not read email, IM, or texts and be listening!!!” ~ Lynn Hidy

“Businesses have a tremendous opportunity when they care about what is being said…” ~ Karin Bellantoni

The UpYourTeleSales definition of a conversation is an exchange of ideas between people – that means everything YOU share has to be based on what you HEAR.

In order to hear the person you’re speaking with you have to be listening. To be listening, you MUST be paying attention.

Paying attention is an art, it takes both practice and persistence.

Most days it also takes treats!

Just ask our dog Fred. He is very focused on whatever you want him to do if you have a treat in your hand (or gravity may work in his favor).

Without a treat, he is less likely… perhaps I should say unlikely to be paying attention.

How about you; what is the treat you are given if you practice the art of paying attention?

1. you may hear opportunity that would slip past if you weren’t paying attention.
2. you’ll learn what you need to do to win someone’s business.
3. an understanding of what is important to your prospect/customer will be shared.
4. you’ll know sooner if you’ve won or lost a deal.
5. you can can also give yourself a cookie.

This week – here are three times to practice the art of paying attention:

• to people’s outbound voicemail message
  learn more about their personality, position, and sometimes contact info.
• the background noise you can hear
  commotion or quiet, in their car – office – home, how engaged will they be able to be?
• tone and word choice
  really listen to the people you’re having conversations with by focusing on THEM