HOW TO MASTER THE ART OF CONVERSATION TO CLOSE MORE SALES

The art of good conversation centers very much on your ability to ask questions and to listen attentively to the answers.

You can lace the conversation with your insights, ideas, and opinions, but you perfect the art and skill of conversation by perfecting the art and skill of asking good, well-worded questions that direct the conversation and give other people an opportunity to express themselves. Do you possess these skills?

Ask Open-Ended Questions

Ask open-ended questions that cannot be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." Open-ended questions encourage the speaker to expand on his thoughts and comments. And one question will lead to another. You can ask open-ended questions almost endlessly, drawing out of the other person everything that he or she has to say on a particular subject.

Be Content to Listen

In order to be an excellent conversationalist, you must resist the urge to dominate the discussion. The very best conversationalists seem to be low-key, easy-going, cheerful, and genuinely interested in the other person. They seem to be quite content to listen when other people are talking and they make their own contributions to the dialogue rather short and to the point.

Share the Opportunity to Talk

In fact, good conversation has an easy ebb and flow, like the tide coming in and going out. Whether it is between two people or among several, the conversation should shift back and forth, with each person getting an opportunity to talk. Conversation in this sense is like a ball that is tossed from person to person, with no one holding on to it for very long.

If you feel that you have been talking for too long, you should stop and ask a question of someone in the group. You will be tossing the conversational ball and giving that individual an opportunity to converse.

Learn to Listen Well

Listening is the most important of all skills for successful conversation. Many people are very poor listeners. Since everyone enjoys talking, it takes a real effort to practice the fundamentals of excellent listening and to make them a habit.

Action Exercises

Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.

First, make a habit of asking good, open ended questions of others in every conversation and in response to problems or difficulties. This shows interest and increases your understanding.

Second, take a deep breath, relax and let the other person talk more. Practice over and over until you become an excellent listener.

THE PURPOSE OF EVERY BUSINESS

I hear lots of discussion about purpose and mission
statements for business. Some tell me the purpose of any
business is to make a profit. Others focus on the quality
of the product or on teamwork and morale. Obviously, all of
that is wonderful and to some extent necessary. But it
misses the point.
The purpose of every business is to serve a satisfied
customer. Period.
In the end, satisfied customers create the profits.
Satisfied customers create repeat business, which is vastly
more profitable than finding a new customer for every
transaction. Satisfied customers allow for pride,
satisfaction and the constant improvement of our goods and
services. Only satisfied customers will ultimately keep the
doors open and allow the business to "work."
Sure, a great marketing plan is desirable. Of course,
making a profit is necessary over time.
But in the end, only satisfied customers make everything
else possible.
So, what are your customers really looking for? What
benefit or convenience, what quality or experience is most
vital to them? Ask them! Let your customers tell you what
makes your business special. Let them tell you how and why
you stand out from your competition. Let them tell you why
they buy from you and keep coming back.

Too often, business leaders spend time reviewing details
when a simple lunch with your best customers could tell you
precisely how to grow the business. In the end, systems and
business plans, tools and equipment are good, but only to
the degree that your customers are smiling. Everything else
is detail.