Happy Sunday Everyone:
I was on a Zoom call earlier this week that gave me pause. A guest was pitching us on their services and how it would help our division. The truth is, I actually believe the services being offered would be useful, but the messaging was so off that it was hard for me to stay engaged. In hindsight what struck me is I was sold on the idea about 15 minutes in, and unsold 45 minutes later.
This isn’t about ripping on or judging the person, it’s about learning from it, and using it as a reminder that there are real people on the other side of our communication. Most of the people reading this are in sales, it’s worth slowing down and asking ourselves how our message is landing with the people on the other end.
A few things that stood out:
1. No questions, just talking. This person was telling us what our challenges were based on their past experience, instead of asking if we were experiencing those challenges ourselves. When trust hasn’t been established, no one wants to be told what they’re feeling. And if you’re going to tell someone what they’re experiencing, it better be validated by them first.
2. Keep it professional. If you don’t know the dress code, be overdressed. This person had spoken with one other person on our team before the call, and it created a level of casualness that didn’t fit the rest of the group. Years ago, I called a potential client “buddy.” He responded, “My name’s not buddy, it’s Jon.” I never forgot it. Side note to myself: call people by their name, or don’t call them anything at all.
3. Pause long enough to see if your message is hitting. No one on our side could get a word in. When a question finally came up, the response was five to seven minutes every time. These weren’t five-minute questions. Answer the question, confirm it was answered, and move on.
No matter how much of an expert you are, assume you know nothing about someone else’s situation until you verify it with them. There’s real opportunity to help when someone tells you they have a problem and asks for your support. There’s only annoyance when you tell someone what their problem is and how you’re going to fix it.
How we communicate is everything. The old adage still holds: people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. In my opinion, it’s impossible to show how much you care without first understanding what someone is actually experiencing. This can only happens when we slow down and ask better questions.
I for one will be on high alert this week as I go into all my calls/meetings.