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Active Listening in B2B Cold Calling

Nov 20, 2013 | Cold Calling

Person talking to second person

Active Listening – It’s not so much about what you say, it’s about what you hear.

Have you ever heard the saying “less is more?” Nowhere is that more applicable than on a sales call! The minute a caller feels the need to drive his or her point home with an arsenal of facts and figures, the more successful caller takes a deep breath, sits back…and listens! A polished cold caller poses a lot of questions and genuinely listens to the responses. This strategy helps you learn a lot about your prospect and greatly improves your chance to make the sale.

What is “active listening?” Listen patiently and pay attention to what the lead is saying. Remember that besides the obvious substance of the conversation, there are many nuances of the prospect’s language that can give you valuable information toward closing the sale. Don’t become too invested in the conversation yourself, rather let the Decision Maker take the lead while you steer toward setting the appointment for your client.

By becoming an expert at listening and recognizing the relevant information, you can begin to grasp what makes your prospect tick. Rather than listening to yourself talk, pay attention to what he or she is saying and acknowledge their feedback. Opening up that two-way street will engage them in the process. Good listening takes practice and it will open new opportunities for anyone in sales – invest in working on these skills. Not only will it make you more effective at sales, it will most likely pay off in all aspects of your life.