Introduction
How do you usually feel going into sales meetings? Is your heart pounding? Are your palms sweaty? Or do you enter meetings confidently, ready to have a purposeful conversation?
If you’re more of the sweaty-palms type, you’re not alone. Even seasoned salespeople sometimes find sales conversations daunting. But with practice, you can feel more confident about communicating with potential customers. When you know how to connect with people, you’ll also know how to build positive business relationships.
In this lesson, you’ll learn what makes an effective communicator in sales. You’ll also learn how you can start improving your skills today.
Watch the video to learn about basic sales communications and explore how you can improve your communication skills.
Why Is Communication Important in Sales?
Reaching out to contacts, sharing information, handling objections, and closing a deal—they all rely on your ability to communicate. Having the best solution in the world means nothing if you don’t know how to connect with potential customers.
Understanding how to share and receive information is essential to being an effective salesperson. Success in sales is a delicate balance between theory and practice, and both come into play as you learn to communicate well.
What Good Communicators Do
Have you ever met someone you would describe as a “natural-born salesperson”? Excellent communication skills were probably part of the reason. Exceptional communication may seem innate, but it’s a skill, not a talent. Many factors—all of which you can practice—make up good communication.
Expand the items below to learn more about what good communicators do and how you can implement the same actions to improve your skills.
Listen Actively
Active listening helps you understand your potential customer’s needs and shows the customer that you respect what they have to say. People are more likely to trust when they feel heard. Here are a few ways to demonstrate engagement:
Paraphrase the customer’s needs. For example, after someone explains a pain point in their workday, you can say, “I hear you saying that you’re struggling with … ” Then, name the challenges and ask the customer if you’ve understood them correctly.
Nod your head and use simple phrases that indicate understanding—“I see,” “All right,” and “Sure.”
Ask follow-up questions.
Learn how to be comfortable with silence. Most people rush to fill gaps in a conversation, but these moments can actually be valuable opportunities for salespeople. When you respect silence, you respect the person you’re speaking to by giving them a chance to think and respond in their own time.
Active listening helps you clarify not only the points of your conversation but also how your potential buyer feels. Understanding these emotional undercurrents can strengthen your connection with a potential buyer.
Use the Right Medium
Phone, email, face-to-face—the same conversation can be experienced in different ways, depending on the medium you use. Think consciously about the topics you’d like to discuss and your current relationship when considering how you will share information.
For example, a contact you’ve met at a conference may respond best to an in-person meeting. However, a longtime customer who travels a lot might prefer a phone call. And a customer who needs a check-in might appreciate a warm email rather than a surprise meeting request.
The medium you choose will impact the conversation, so be sure you’re choosing the best option for the information you’re sharing.
Keep Points Clear
Sales communication should be straightforward. Remember that perception will drive your potential buyer’s understanding of your solution and their impression of you as a salesperson. Don’t be afraid to use a checklist or basic script to stay focused on the essential details.
Use clarifying questions to ensure that your contact understands what you’re offering. Keeping your points simple can prevent miscommunication.
Consider Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal communication matters as much as the words and tone you use. The way you present yourself, even unconsciously, says a lot about how you’re approaching the relationship.
For example, how would you react to a frowning salesperson who avoids eye contact and slouches through the conversation? You’d probably assume they were disinterested—and you probably wouldn’t be too eager to work with them.
By contrast, a smiling salesperson who makes appropriate eye contact and leans in when you’re speaking to them will seem genuinely interested in the conversation. Their body language shows that they value the relationships they’re creating.
You’ll also get information from your potential customer’s body language. Do they sit up straight when you talk about your solution? Do they furrow their brow when you mention sharing a proposal? Nonverbal communication can indicate how the conversation is really going.
Show Empathy
To earn a buyer’s trust, you must show them that you want to understand their needs. Demonstrate that you truly care about the challenges they’re facing and want to help them solve their problems.
Here are questions you can ask to better understand where your potential customers are coming from:
“What does your workday look like?”
“What challenges are you facing?”
“What are these challenges costing you?”
Also, take the time to research your contact. Look up relevant information that goes beyond the person’s name and title. That will help you prepare for questions and concerns they could raise during the conversation.
Listening carefully and internalising the answers to these questions will help you build a positive working relationship.
Practice
Building communication skills takes time and effort. Here are a few ways you can develop your abilities:
Observe how other people communicate and try out different styles and strategies.
Hold a practice meeting with a colleague.
Record a practice conversation and listen to the way you’re speaking. How do you sound and look when you speak? Do you seem genuinely interested?
Remember that you don’t need to be perfect—just strive for authentic connection.
"The art of conversation is the art of hearing as well as of being heard."
– William Hazlitt
The Right Perspective
“I’m here to sell.” vs. “I’m here to help.”
If you walk into a sales meeting with the first perspective, how do you think the contact will feel about you and your product? Most likely, they would see you as another typical salesperson looking to make a deal. That means forging a genuine connection will be tough.
But by applying the second perspective when approaching potential customers—“I’m here to help”—you show contacts that you truly care about their well-being. This attitude turns prospective buyers into customers.
To be clear, this shift isn’t about getting the contact to like you personally—rather, you’re working to earn the person’s trust and respect. With this perspective, you can start building a connection that not only makes the initial sale but also creates a long-term relationship.
Check Your Understanding
Sort the cards below to test your understanding of sales communication.
Summary
Communication is essential in sales, and it all starts with the right mindset: having the customer’s best interests at heart. This perspective will show that you’re there not just to sell, but also to form a beneficial relationship. Remember that good communicators:
Listen actively
Use the right medium
Keep points clear
Consider nonverbal communication
Show empathy
Practice
To hone your skills, try recording or filming yourself. Then use the footage to assess where you can improve. Doing your research beforehand and getting comfortable with silence will also help. With practice, you’ll get better and better at having fruitful conversations with your contacts.
- Being nervous about having sales conversations is normal. Remember that you’re there to help another person solve a problem with a solution that you already have.
Ready to widen the lens of your sales skills? Click on “Mark Complete ✓” to go to the next lesson to get tips on collaborating with marketing as a salesperson.