Training Tips

Learn to Communicate Better
Tips to Improve

Some sales professionals are natural communicators, but others need a little work. For those who struggle sometimes with effective communication, Susan Fee’s sideroad.com article “Communication Tips” offers the following pointers:
• Make use of the first 30 seconds. According to Fee, that is how long it takes to make a first impression. “Think about what message you broadcast about yourself on a consistent basis,” she writes.
• Use names. When introduced, make eye contact and repeat the person’s name immediately. Also, use names regularly in conversation — it gets people to pay more attention.
• Own your feelings. Instead of placing the focus on others when sharing your opinions, use “I feel” and “I think” phrases.
• Show interest. “When you take an interest in others by asking questions and remembering important details in their stories, you create natural bond,” Fee explains.
• Remember to use silence. Sales professionals should give people time to reflect on what they’re saying, by pausing at certain moments.
“Communication skills are just that — skills. They are teachable, learnable behaviors,” says Fee.