How to reduce breakdown in communication while selling

Questions are an indispensable arsenal in selling. PHOTO | FILE 

By JOHN KAGECHE

George Bernard Shaw: “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”

Generally, in life, this predicament is the cause of many arguments; specifically, in selling, it is the cause of many lost sales. One of the exercises in my sessions is asking the delegates to simultaneously follow the same verbal instructions. But they come out with different results.

Why?

One of them shares insight: “The instructions were the same, but the interpretation was different.” This is one of the major stumbling blocks to successful selling; what the prospect says and means and what the salesperson hears and understands can differ.

Psychologists would attribute this breakdown in communication to idiosyncrasies in personality, beliefs, pronunciation, culture and attitudes. In other words, we may be similar in appearance but differ widely mentally and emotionally.

In essence, therefore, from the outcome of the exercise, the delegates are all right and by the same token, they are all wrong. In light of this dilemma, what to do then as a salesperson?

The foremost solution to this quandary is asking questions. Not interrogating, but asking in a conversational manner, how you would a doctor during a prognosis.

Questions are indispensable arsenal in the salesperson’s armoury. How did that make you feel? (counselling); when did the cough start? (doctor); who was working the pump when it jammed? (technician); what happened the last time you tried to withdraw money using your card? (banker);

Which of these two items would you like to buy? Or, Would you like to sign with the blue pen or black one? (when closing). Questions, psychologists say, trigger the mind to alertness and offer clarity.

But questions alone are not enough. You may still misinterpret the response. Again, borrowing from the medical profession, writing down the responses, not only focuses the discussion (notice how you rarely go off topic when with the doctor), it offers you a record that allows instant recall, just like with a doctor.

I had a boss who, during meetings (despite already having the secretary taking minutes) would also write down the conclusions on a jotter he always had. And what he would do at the end of the meeting brings me to the third thing that helps reduce breakdown in communication.

Not sure

He would read back what he’d written as confirmation that it was what was agreed upon. “Kageche, you are to see to it that we no longer have a 90-day column on the NMG account”; “Juma, ensure that all pending accounts have been opened”; “Karani, you will see me at 3pm on Thursday with a report on why your departmental targets are still below the acceptable”.

At such times, corrections had to be made. What he understood and what, say, Karani meant, differed. And this anomaly would then be corrected at this stage and he would still read back to Karani what he’d written, just to confirm that they were on the same page.

Writing down and reading back also remove biases and assumptions. When selling, you are likely to be equally surprised when reading back to the prospect a summary of what you understood when he says, “I know you think you understand what you thought I said but I’m not sure you realise that what you heard is not what I meant” (Alan Greenspan).