What are the most effective ways to listen to prospects and build trust?

Being present. Being real. Being honest. It’s not about you, it’s about them! I’ve found over the years that respect goes along way to opening a dialogue. Keep the person feeling heard!

Actively listening to us means going beyond hearing the prospect's words and understanding their feelings. Before and during any meeting, our goal is to understand better the catalyst that sparked the meeting with the prospect. Our experience shows that many in sales, marketing, and business development roles often use the latest sales techniques and approaches to engage a prospect and understand the problem. Yet, they don't listen with a calibrated intent to change and improve the prospect's life. The business model or the marketing and sales leadership structure may not permit or reward someone to truly uncover how best they could help a prospect. Could you tune into their Why? Active listeners leave better intuned with the prospects.

For me active listening is about differentiating between what people say they want and what their problems actually are. More often than not, these are not the same thing and this is the key to successful selling. Understand the problem not the requirement and you are often able to present an alternative that is far more cost effective and yet ultimately actually addresses the clients needs. Remember - very few clients know HOW to solve their problems but ALL clients have an opinion on it!

I believe "Effective questioning" should be #1 on the list, but it's not included. There is no greater skill to develop than asking great questions, and then become an active listener.

Asking questions and active listening are both important factors to creating relationships with both prospective clients and professional advisors. However, the real magic comes when you ask questions after the questions after the questions which serve to breakthrough the standard answers that prospects and clients give to our questions and get to the real heart of the matter. It is these conversational expanding questions that get us information that no one has ever Explored, and show that we are truly interested in what the prospect is not only saying, But really means. Once the Prospect gets undressed in front of you emotionally, they will never do it for someone else again.

Active listening to try and identify their pain points, and then figure out how to explain those to them and what you can offer to improve or solve them.

Listening and understanding are often miles apart. We mostly tend to listen to respond, as opposed to listening to get perspective. So the first step after hearing what someone has to say, is share what was interpreted and receive affirmation or modification of the message. Once the verbal foundation has been made, the call to action speaks a greater volume. How many times do people say one thing and do another? If there is alignment with all synergies, the follow up becomes seamless, because the rapport has been built.

I define active listening to hearing and understanding what your prospects and sometimes clients are sharing and also what areas are being kept out of the conversation until trust has been established.

Active listening will increase your profitability. You don’t need to figure out what people want so that you can sell to them. If you listen, they will tell you. People want to have a voice. When they know you are listening to them, their loyalty is in the bag. This is also how to gain customer retention which is a huge part of running a successful business.

Prospects don't care that you have the best products or services. They care about how those best products or services can benefit them in their specific situation. This is why it's important to know your client, and to listen to what their pain points are. This is the difference between: "Our hand massager has 21 speeds, there isn't another like us on the market, and we have more power and settings than all others!" and "I know you've been struggling with arthritis in your left hand lately, our hand massager has 21 speeds. This will allow you to start with a lower intensity, and gradually increase it to whatever is most comfortable for you." They'll tell you what they need if you listen.

Challenge yourself to go beyond the benefits. Listen actively for the prospect's desired outcome or remedy to their situation. The challenge, opportunity, problem, or concern a prospect faces may have multiple stages, and you were called in to solve what could be just a piece of a more complex event. New salespeople tend to focus on what the solution can deliver, and seasoned focus more on the benefits of the deliverable to the prospect. I rarely encounter advanced sales and business development people who focus on the overall outcome of the prospect. This slight shift opens the door to long-term relationships, cross, upselling, and innovation across parties. Focus on the desired outcome and the many "whys" driving action.

Features are important, but they do not matter until we understand the application for the end user. This starts with researching the customer’s business and asking probing questions that will help us understand the pressing needs of the customer. Too often a salesperson assume they understand the problem the customer is trying to fix but fail to ask the proper questions that will ensure that they are offering the customer’s needed solution. An ethical salesperson knows when their solution will not meet the needs of their target and must back away from the deal rather than offer a poor solution that will eventually cast them in a poor light and waste time and money that are precious. This only happens when you ask the right questions.

Amazon is the exception of people buying from people. Despite attempts to convince otherwise my view is that this platform gained popularity by people getting to know the people first then buying the service as a spin off.

Rather than demonstrating expertise and authority, consider applying support and understanding to the prospect as a person first. As you actively listen for cues that suggest the underlying internal challenge, communicate to the prospect examples of pathways others in a similar situation leveraged a key business purchasing decision to improve family relationships, their health, and their standing in the business or community. As a foundation for your understanding and support, do more, think more, feel more, and connect more with others. Your past performance and credentials only signify that you were there. It does not mean you understand and can relate. All things were once thoughts, so gather more thoughts to share more things.

Show up on time, meaning be their when you say you will be, start with a greeting such as good morning, in my industry (whole house remodels) I always show up with some sort of protection for the home (tarp - plastic) Present to the home owner you care about their home. If its your 2nd or third day on the project, start the morning entry by asking is there anything I need to know about the project. This opens up the channel for them to feel comfortable an discuss what concerns they may have with out the client having to figure out how to open up about a concern happing on the project.

Very true, yet there are so many who can’t even decide or decipher what are good characteristics when it comes to making a sound decision; as to do business with others, simply because many are okay with ‘a pact of lies’; in other words, I’ve been in cases where interviews are being discussed or held, people don’t even know what what it is to look, and many behave as if they are investigating for some type of condemnation. Often, what I look for, is does the individual’s products have proven; and whether the person who is presenting the service is truthful, and that should not be a lengthy conversation or process.

Anything you have, such as recommendation quotes, credentials, survey results, and so forth, will add weight to your credibility.

It is a fine line between showcasing qualifications and show boating. Many personal development coaches encouraged people to share difficult circumstances- if this is perceived as manipulation of emotions then it can have the opposite effect of attracting- being endearing. Be authentic- this is respected and admired by many.

Establishing trust is essential. It is very important to walk the walk not just talk it. Failure to act or carry through a promise often damages a relationship permanently.

They say that the fortune is in the follow-up! However, a follow-up is not just a one-time thing. It requires multiple, carefully curated follow ups that add VALUE to your prospect each step of the way.

Follow-up to any engagement with a potential new client is essential. It is also a fine line between following up and being a nuisance. Always finish a conversation by trying to agree on the timeline for the next contact so that it suits the person(s) you are building your relationship with. This also applies to following up on networking activity as well.

Well, following up is of course Advantageous for both parties: when we Introspect, Each side of the Spectrum, whenever I followed up with most of my clients: it Always brings Awareness, and often opens a door 🚪 to some type of Referral.

I've had multiple prospects share the same sentiment with me: "They never pick up the phone." and "I never hear from them." To build trust, to build a lasting relationship, you must answer the phone and reply to the email in a timely fashion. Nothing looks worse when you say something and drop the ball.

Integrity and authenticity is key. Meaning that what you think, say and do must all be the same thing. This is critical and really helps to build quality connections.

A person once said, “if we don’t lie, we don’t have to remember”, meaning that honesty is and will Always be the best policy; in Addition, the story remains the same, Always. I’ve had many cases where I’m Asked the same questions, twice or in many ways; at the end, I’m congratulated for spewing the very same Answers

Transparency in business refers to the openness, clarity, and accessibility of information that a company provides to its stakeholders, including customers, employees, investors, and the public. It involves sharing relevant and accurate information about the company's operations, financial performance, decision-making processes, and corporate governance. Transparent business practices contribute to building trust, fostering accountability, and maintaining a positive reputation. That can span anywhere from data governance and security to corporate social responsibility to ethical practices. Transparent communication involves not only sharing positive news but also addressing challenges and setbacks.

Building trust is an ongoing process. It doesn't happen in one monumental moment, it happens over time in small interactions. Relationships take time, invest in them and be sure to keep your word.

Building it network with every conversation you have is a great way to not only bring value to your existing connections but show the prospect in front of you there are great benefits to being connected to you beyond the service you provide. When having conversations try actively listening for introductions you could make to this person or to others in your network. Something as simple as "who do I know that this person needs to know" or "who do I know that needs to know this person?" Keeping these very simple questions running in the back of your mind is a quick and easy way to show the prospect in front of you, being connected to you is more beneficial long-term then just the service. And sets you apart from your competition.

All things considered, we should Always be open minded and it’s best to look for solutions instead of being judgmental; and in many cases, help qualify an individual, even if he/she does not the rank.

Effective ways to use listening as a way to build trust are preceded by asking meaningful questions. This builds trust from the start. Here is an example: Ask an enquiry led prospect why they made the enquiry. Let them answer the question without interruption yet encourage the prospect to keep on talking. A meaningful question explores buyer motivation and encourages trust between both parties. Final tip: we have two ears and one mouth. Use them in that proportion in the sales interview. 2/3 of the time listen, 1/3 of the time speak.

Trust is earned. Maintain a consistent brand image across all touchpoints. Consistency builds recognition and trust. Make sure your messaging, design, and values align throughout the customer experience.Personalize your interactions with customers. Address them by name, remember their preferences, and tailor your communication to their needs. Personalization creates a sense of care and consideration. Lastly, Provide educational content related to your products or services. Informing customers not only positions you as an expert but also helps them make informed decisions, fostering trust.