2 Eyes, 2 Ears, 1 Mouth... In That Order

Observe, Listen and take a moment to pause to understand and assess the situation. Only after that point should you considering providing a perspective or delve deeper.

In my opinion, this is why we were given more eyes and ears than mouths, so we could spend more time observing and listening in order to more effectively communicate.

At times, we forget this and have the tendency to think we know best and blurt out out thoughts and opinions without truly considering what we have just been told.

Active listening is not only critical to being a good "salesperson", but also to being strong leader, mentor and overall human being.

In advertising, this is further exacerbated by the fact that the industry is becoming increasingly can be cut throat, notably in recent times with the new wave of technologies and systems. This influx of businesses (and opportunities) has meant there is an increased supply of people wanting your attention to "sell to you" to support the growth of their and your business. The pressure of “selling” to gain incremental services and revenue from clients is as fierce as it ever has been. From fighting to be at the top of your inbox, to that third voicemail, to the promise of a free lunch at Nobu just to have 5 minutes to pitch your idea! Competition is fierce and attention spans are fleeting so many may resort to the above tactics and the “hard sell” when you finally are able to secure that sacred 5 minutes of time. But as I’m sure you are already well aware of, ?jumping straight to the hard sell and solely talking about you, your product, your brand is a sure fire way of turning off your potential client. Even though attention spans are fleeting, the desire to provide deeper and richer connections are more important than ever, especially in a post COVID world. This has given rise to the refined art of consultative selling and its emergence as a superhero technique for growing your business. This is due to its ability to build trust, provide customized solutions, and nurture long-term relationships, consultative selling has become the secret weapon in the arsenal. In this article we will unpack a few of these superhero techniques and how this can help drive growth to your business.

Be An Active Listener: It Starts By Not Talking!

When it comes to sales, you may well want to come out straight away and show your smarts and the work you have done… DON’T! According to an analysis of thousands of sales calls done by Gong Labs in 2018, top sales performers have a talk-to-listen ratio of 43:57. That’s right — they listen more than they talk. (we have two ears and one mouth for a reason!) You can’t consult if you don’t know what you’re consulting on. When you meet a prospect, give them your undivided attention and listen carefully to what they’re saying. Not only will you gain a better understanding of the buyer’s needs, but you’ll also show them that you care, which builds trust (see the next section for details!)/. So, what does it mean to be an active listener;

• Listen with the intent to understand. This means you as are changing your focus from pitching your product to genuinely trying to understand the client’s situation and needs.
• Focus completely on listening. The word "active" means you are so engaged that it doesn’t even occur to interrupt the client, check your email or do anything else. No multitasking!?
• Ask questions to understand. This serves several purposes. First, it demonstrates your interest. Second, it allows you to clear up any incorrect assumptions or misconceptions. Third, it can take the conversation to a deeper, more thoughtful level.
• Be agile with your questions: You of course should have canned questions to ask, but if you are actively listening and the client has your undivided attention, then use this focus to absorb the client’s needs and bounce questions to them (when appropriate), in response to details they convey
• Summarize what this means. It’s one thing to be able to repeat the speaker’s key points. But reflecting on the speaker’s meaning makes them feel heard and understood — and strengthens your relationship with them in the long run.

If you adopt this approach to listen, absorb and interrogate, you statistically have a 20% greater chance of closing the deal!

Short Term Impact: Building Trust Through Customized Solutions

Consultative selling goes beyond the traditional pitch. It's a two-way street where you need to operate as a trusted advisor, taking time to understand the client's in more detail. Without a clear understanding of your client, it's virtually impossible to suggest solutions with any accuracy. A simple structure to develop customized solutions for your client is to uncover their needs, goals, and barriers during active listening conversations to develop solutions which address these precise requirements. Below breaks down the basics in these 3 areas:

• Needs: A need is a non-negotiable requirement that is very important or essential for the client to achieve their goals. In many instances, the client's need is the thing that has prompted them to seek out a solution. These needs may be related to their business, personal life, or a combination of both.
• Goals: While needs are more fundamental and non-negotiable, goals are things your client wants to achieve by going through the sales process. Consultative selling professionals must have a clear understanding of the client's goals.
• Barriers: Pain points are the specific problems or challenges is your client is experiencing. To understand their pain points, ask "What keeps my client up at night?"

This allows you to create a solid foundation of trust, making the client more likely to engage and collaborate. A study conducted by Sales Performance International, showed that 92% of clients are more inclined to engage with sales professionals who demonstrate an understanding of their business and industry. ?By conducting in-depth needs analysis and leveraging market research, consultative sellers can craft personalized strategies that align with the client's objectives and target audience. CEB (now part of Gartner), found that B2B buyers are 48% more likely to consider a solution when the salesperson provides a personalized experience.

By leveraging this approach, you are able to position yourself as problem-solvers, not just sellers, instilling confidence in your clients.

Long-Term Scale: Born Through Focusing On Relationships Not Sales

One of the greatest strengths of consultative selling lies in its ability to foster long-term relationships. If you want to develop long-term client relationships, you need to treat them like people, not numbers. Follow the Golden Rule and treat them the same way you would any person in a budding friendship (sounds obvious doesn't it!) For example, if you were beginning new friendships or relationships, wouldn't you take the time to learn your new friend’s name, remember an interesting fact about them, and simply be friendly? Use this transferable skill of relationship building and apply it to your job. You probably wouldn't buy a product or service from salespeople who never took the time to learn your name or treat you with respect. So, why should you think that your clients would be any different? Following your first encounter, record idiosyncratic personal facts about each of your clients so that you can refresh your memory before each call or meeting.?Your clients will be more willing to stick around if, in addition to following these other tips, you consistently ask them about their woodworking hobby or remember their family vacation overseas.

Like with any friendship or relationship, it takes time to form and solidify client bonds. It may be tempting to try to speed up the process with disingenuous sales or marketing tactics, but if you want to foster long-term client relationships — not just short-lived ones — you must learn to be patient. To accomplish this, make sure that there is a steady back-and-forth of learning something about your client and then sharing information about yourself in each call or meeting.

Use each of these strategies and continue to build upon them each time you speak with your clients. While it may seem tedious, they will notice your hard work and that you are willing to go the extra mile for them. Keep in mind that just because you established this bond, it doesn’t mean you can stop making an effort. Keep investing the time and resources and you will keep your client happy for years to come.

Finally, and as the saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a child” with the same premise applies to the fostering relationships. You and your relevant teams should be a champion for the client and the work that they do, especially the work which connects to your business. Take the time to keep people up to date on the work that is being delivered, how it is being received, and how the business is performing. Maintaining a long-standing client relationship is not down to one or two people; it’s down to all the different agency experts you rely on to deliver outstanding work

By shifting the focus from short-term gains to long-term partnerships, you can nurture ongoing collaboration and unlock a treasure trove of opportunities. Harvard Business Review outlined that increasing client retention rates by just 5% can lead to a 25% to 95% increase in profits. Consultative selling and its emphasis on client satisfaction / relationship building makes it a potent tool for client retention and repeat business. To build a strong client relationship, you can’t rely solely on performing to the best of your ability; you also need to be passionate about the work and understand your client’s objectives and company values. Constantly reviewing and building upon your client relationship will not only maintain it but will help it grow.

Summary

Notably in a post COVID world (remarkably more than Pre - COVID), consultative selling has emerged as the powerful force of building trusted connections, which enables a transformative approach to sales interactions, designed to ?build long-lasting relationships. In order to build a strong client relationship, you can’t rely solely on performing to the best of your ability; you also need to be passionate about the work and understand your client’s objectives and company values. Constantly reviewing and building upon your client relationship will not only maintain it but will help it grow.