Most of the time, telemarketers are taught to focus on their persuasive, expressive and communicative skills. And although learning how to talk to potential customers, sell the benefits of your product or service and connect with your prospective client are very important skills, sometimes not saying anything at all can be just as effective.
“By becoming a better listener,” Mind Tools says, “you can improve your productivity as well as your ability to influence, persuade and negotiate.” Learning how to listen a little better will improve your telemarketing technique and help you achieve impressive results from your campaigns.
Learning to concentrate
Learning to listen means learning to concentrate. All too often we begin to drift off when another person is speaking. This can result in missing out on vital information, something that can make it harder to form an insightful and relevant response. When someone is speaking to you, make a conscious effort to hear everything they’re saying. Don’t let yourself get distracted or let your mind wander. Instead, focus on their words, their tone, and their meaning and then try to use the information they’ve given you in your response.
Don’t be afraid of silence
In general, listening involves being quiet. You have to give the prospect the time and space to speak if you want them to give you information that’s really interesting and worthwhile. Once your potential customer has finished talking, allow at least a second or two of silence to let their words sink in.
As well as giving the prospect the opportunity to continue if they want to, this silence shows that you’re taking in their words and really listening. If you jump straight in with a reply as soon as the person you’re speaking to has fallen silent, they may well feel like you’re rushing the conversation and that you’re not taking the time to appreciate their needs and requirements.
Be interested
If you have a genuine interest in what your prospect is saying, it will be a lot easier to stay focused and to listen. Ideally, you should be calling to discuss a product or service that you really care about. If you believe your company offers genuine value to its customers, you’ll be interested their responses to your questions and staying focused during the conversation should be easy.
Do your research
If you’re thinking about what you’re going to say next, listening when a prospect speaks will be a challenge. Instead of reading through a script, hunting through spreadsheets and looking up technical details during your call, do your research before you pick up the phone. As well as making it a lot easier to listen when the prospect is speaking, this should help your call to flow more naturally.
If you want to improve the quality of your telemarketing techniques, we can help. Explore our site, or get in touch to find out more.