He Listened to me—I Listen to him…
Yesterday, I was inspired by a blog post entitled: 4 Keys To Better Business Development Conversations penned by one of my favorite bloggers, Eric Fletcher of Marketing Brain Fodder.
I commented:
“My 25-plus years of observing the good, bad and ugly teaches me that the best biz dev professionals diagnose the client/customer problem, issue, friction, hassle, etc. much like an doctor diagnoses an illness. My doctor walks into the treatment room with my chart (research). He asks me how I’m doing (mind) and how I’m feeling (body). He pays close attention to what I say and then verifies with probes, pushes, thumps, and needles (blood). Then he analyzes. Then he recommends a course of action. Because he LISTENED to me, I listen to him. AKA: relationship of trust and mutual respect. Be a true professional: do as my doctor does…”
“The best business you develop — the business that is most rewarding and able to endure — will come in the context of great relationships; and quality relationships are the by-product of better conversations.” Take a gander at Eric’s post for the rest.
What are his four keys to better business development (paraphrased)?
- Listen with the INTENT to learn (get to their concerns).
- Find a POINT OF CONNECTION (focus on their business not yours).
- Build a FEW talking points around their story (not yours).
- Set the stage for an ongoing dialogue (see 1-3)
You might also want to check this out this post by Cordell Parvin. On page 1 of the book, Power Questions, authors Andrew Sobel and Jerold Panas, ask a CEO: “What most impresses you when you meet someone who is trying to win your business?” The answer:“I can always tell how experienced and insightful a prospective consultant, banker or lawyer is by the quality of their questions and how intently they listen. That’s how simple it is.”
That CEO is running a $12-billion company and those lawyers, consultants and bankers have become part of his inner circle of trusted advisors Want some of that? See what “listening more by talking less” gets you.
One last thing: consider that “[w]hen a relationship is all business and there is no real personal connection, it lacks heart and soul…[p]ersonal relationships build loyalty in a way that expertise or brilliance doesn’t!” That also comes from Sobel. Bring these two concepts (listening and connection) into your social networking whether on or offline.
They will listen to you when you listen.
Thoughts? I’m all ears…