The success of any business depends on how well it communicates externally and internally. Entrepreneurs need to set up their effective communication. Communication within team, delegation, with customers, with stakeholders and with prospects.
The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place – George Bernard Shaw
The assumption that the other person has understood what you wanted to convey is the root cause of many problems.
In this blog, let us go over how we can communicate with our customers or prospects.
A customer or prospect will come to you with a problem that he or she needs to be solved. To help the customer solve the problem, whether it is finding a location or finding resources, we need to communicate effectively.
There are four parts to effective communication
Ask Questions
Listen with concentration
Repeat and Confirm
Call To Action
Ask Questions
Depending on time available for the meeting spend at least 10 minutes in asking broad questions. Broad Questions begin with words like: Tell me, Describe, What, Why, Explain. All of these words help prospects to open up about the background and situations he is facing. This puts you in the role of the listener and gives you time to focus on the information you are getting.
Once you have an overall picture of the situation, ask focused questions to gather the specific information you need. Focused questions are open or closed questions used to gain a very specific and targeted piece of information. These can be like Could you tell me where you see your business in the next three years? Would you tell how are you planning your marketing budget for this year?
Focused questions begin with words or phrases like: Did you Could you Would you Does it Will it Could it How Many When Where
Listen with concentration
An ideal meeting should have the prospect to speak for 80% of the time
To help the prospect, you must listen to their answers to your questions. Allow your prospects to think, pause and then answer. Don't interrupt; let them finish their answer.
The response is a very important part of listening. You should make the prospect understand that you have understood his/her feelings. It will showcase that you have not only understood the content but also the emotions. This helps create a nice rapport and trust.
The key is listening and not preparing your next answer. You can also respond verbally with I see, I understand or non verbally through actions.
Repeat and confirm
The purpose of repeating and confirming is to give confidence to the prospect that you have listened carefully and understood their problem completely Did I cover everything is a good question to confirm your understanding. Then you can proceed to provide information or solutions
Call To Action
Many times it is seen that the meeting ends without any action steps defined. Clear and well defined CTAs help identify the outcome of the meeting and also the next steps required
Thank you
In the end, it is very important to thank your prospect for their time and efforts to make your meeting a success.
The purpose of repeating and confirming is to give confidence to the prospect that you have listened carefully and understood their problem completely Did I cover everything is a good question to confirm your understanding. Then you can proceed to provide information or solutions