Check out one of the most powerful tools you and your team can use. It’s called Active Listening.
Overcoming sales objections can be a really challenging skill set for business owners and their teams. One of the first steps to doing this is becoming a great active listener. This skill was first introduced to me in my early 20’s when I was involved in a sales training course.
What is Active Listening?
First and foremost, as your prospect is sharing their concerns with you, make sure you are using active listening to take in what they’re saying.
While your prospect discloses their objections, listen to understand, not respond. Avoid interrupting them while they are speaking, and give them space to voice their concerns and objections freely. This means, do NOT talk at this time!
Here is an exercise you can practice:
Active Listening Exercise Steps
Round One
Step 1: Assign Partners
Assign each salesperson with a partner. Or, have each salesperson choose their own partner.
The goal here is two partners: one to speak, one to listen. So be sure to assign one partner as “A” and the other partner as “B.”
Step 2: Assign Tasks
Give each partner a task.
Partner “B” is the speaker. Their task is to share something they are passionate about. That’s right, anything!
However, you might want to disclaimer your group to keep it PC (and possibly avoid things like politics).
Partner “A” is the listener. Their job is to do everything possible to ignore “A” completely. That’s right! Partner “A”s assignment is to try as hard as possible to hear nothing that Partner “B” has to say.
Step 3: Time the Exercise
Set your timer for 90 seconds… and go!
Step 4: Reflect
Now that the activity has ended, it’s time for your team to reflect on it. Ask the group how they felt during the exercise and open the room up for discussion.
Round Two
Now it’s time to try it again with different criteria!
Step 1: Assign Partners
We recommend keeping the partners the same for part two. So both “A” and “B” partners will remain paired and will still identify as whatever designation they were the first time around. So “A” is still “A” and “B” is still “B.”
Step 2: Assign Tasks
This time, the tasks have changed slightly.
Partner “B” is still the speaker. Their task is once again to share something their passionate about.
Partner “A” is still the listener. But this time their task is to listen to “B”s story like it’s the most wonderful, amazing stuff they’ve ever heard in their life.
Step 3: Time the Exercise
Set your timer for 90 seconds… and go!
Step 4: Reflect
Now that the activity has ended, it’s time for your team to reflect on it. Ask the group how they felt during the exercise and open the room up for discussion.
Be sure to note the difference between the two rounds
And the final step… share your experience with us! We’d love to hear your results after trying this active listening exercise out.
