The Art of the Quality Conversation

Remember that crush you had in high school? You would play out this awesome conversation you would have with them in your head and imagine endless smiles and hysterical laughs because the jokes you have off the top are nothing short of comic. And then, that big, juicy conversation you had played out in your head just ends up lasting about 7 and-a-half seconds because they’re late to class and you are just obviously too weird to be in the presence of their beauty.

It’s okay we’ve all been there, I think. But, turning those day-dreams of long conversations into a reality is exactly what you want to instill into your sales reps. Except in this case, your crush is the potential customer.

Once you have your reps making calls and getting connections, the next step is to ensure your reps are engaging in quality conversations. A quality conversation is defined as a conversation that lasts 120 seconds or more.

However, let’s not get too technical about it. Having a quality conversation should not be rocket science. Instead it should be more like a game plan.

First, you need to do your homework on the contact. Before you have planned a conversation, take a look at the person’s LinkedIn or Twitter account to get an idea of their interests. You’re always at an advantage when you know more about a person. It will be easier to relate to them — and you might avoid an awkward conversation or two.

Another tip is to display your value without wasting time. People don’t have time to be chewing the fat with somebody they have never met before. It’s important to cut to the chase while also being genuine about how you can help that person achieve their objectives.

Forbes writes that decreasing personal barriers can also help to create more quality conversations. “There’s an assumption that you need to be super professional when first talking to someone.” People don’t want to be in these uptight conversations ... all the time. So, if you see an opportunity to joke around or personalize a conversation, take it — even if it’s early. It will decrease barriers from the start, and the shift will allow you to have a better conversation.

Lastly, make it a point to listen before you speak. People can spot a fake-listener from a mile away. They can also tell when you are actually listening to what they have to say when you ask genuine questions.

Reps who have a hard time engaging in quality conversations are thinking about the process too much. Good conversations should not be so black and white. Instead they should be like paintings -- Full of color and patterns with hints of a structure that could only be found by the creator of the piece.