[postlink]http://newbestmotivator.blogspot.com/2009/05/speaking-techniques-for-salesperson.html[/postlink]
You learn to develop the necessary speaking techniques by practice, by analyzing your successes and failures, and by continuing to learn as you work. Some techniques to assist you in being a more effective speaker are suggested here.
In person or on the telephone, it is generally better not to try to tell jokes. Even professional comedians bomb occasionally, and in telling jokes there is always the chance of offending someone or some group. Since you don't know your prospects' sensitivities, why risk offending them? Since you are not a professional comedian, why risk embarrassing yourself? Wry, self-deprecating remarks are sometimes useful, since they can't threaten your listener and they may indicate that you don't take yourself too seriously. They also allow you to express criticism of conventional wisdom in a pleasant way. Sarcastic remark directed to others, however,are always out of place; they do only harm.
Most salesperson tend to speed up their speech as they become emphatic or excited. Learning to slow down, particularly for emphasis, is very necessary. A small card with the word slow printed on it to be carried with you into an interview or laid beside the telephone while calling can be helpful. If your listener don't understand you, you might as well not be talking. In any complicated presentation it is important to check the listeners' reaction as you proceed. Do they understand? Go back over the salient points of your presentation. Do they agree? Ask for assent. The longer the presentation, the more important it is to repeat the salient points and check for understanding and agreement.
Varying the pitch and volume of your voice is the best way to indicate emphasis and keep the listener interested. Even the best speaker who has no change of pace can be boring. Dropping the volume to almost a whisper can be as effective as shouting. A drumbeat rhythm can be most emphatic.
In personal interviews with a single individual or speaking before a group, looking your audience in the eye is the only way to be sure of their attention. Eye contact is vital in retaining interest, and it indicates determination and sincerity. These are qualities you want to project.
A set, memorized presentation is usually not desirable. It may appear as if the message were "canned" and perhaps uncertain, and it often seems to lack sincerity. What you should memorize is a list of the salient features of your product and its presentation. Then you can deliver your presentation in a manner which suggests that it has been expressly prepared for the listener. You also avoid the problem of being interrupted in a memorized speech, and then perhaps being unable to gather your thoughts again and continue. Such a situation can be fatal to any salesperson. If you really understand and know what you are attempting to say, you can welcome interruptions and still press on with your main points.
When speaking before a group, avoid a stationary position such as behind a lectern. Movement is necessary to maintain interest, as a gestures,and both are virtually useless if you are hiding behind something solid. Some public speakers grasp lecterns as if they were drowning and were afraid their last support was slipping from their grasp. Such a posture might inspire sympathy but not confidence in you, and that is what you are seeking. Gestures below the waist, which can give the appearance of uncertainty, hesitancy, and lack of confidence, should be avoided. To be certain the microphone is mobile and in working order and that any other equipment, such as speakers or projectors, to be used in a presentation to a group is operative, they should be tested well in advance.
Flip charts can be useful as an aid in exampling a complicated problem or its solution. They should not be used as a crutch or as a substitute for knowing your business. In using such charts, care must be taken to maintain eye contact and to vary the pitch and volume of voice. Other aids, such a projectors or movies, are good for presenting complex, visually oriented presentations before large groups.However, they lack spontaneity and may cause listeners' interest to drop off. In financial sales, I doubt that such charts or other aids should ever be used.
Using hand-held cue cards for any major or involved presentation, particularly before a group,is an absolute necessity, however. You need not try to hide them or apologize for them. Merely state that you have a lot of points to cover and data to present, and you want to be sure to be absolutely accurate.That is all that need be said. Such cards should be numbered to help you cover all major points in order. This also helps you see the trend of your thought should the cards become mixed. The cards should be printed large enough to be read without glasses (if you need them). You may want to remove your glasses to gesture, or it may be impractical for one reason or another to wear them. By using cue cards, youcan be assured of giving fully understood presentation which covers all the points,and you will still appear to be speaking in an impromptu manner.
In one-on-one, in-person interviews, you should try to be relaxed but not too relaxed, at ease but not sprawling. Generally, it is wise to let the prospect or client set the ton as far as small talk is concerned. In some parts of the country, such as the South and West, at least 15 minutes is needed for small talk, whereas in some of the major cities such as New York or Chicago, 3 minutes could be considered being overtalkative. In any event, getting to the point is never a mistake.
As in dealing with a group, eye contact is important, but it should not be challenging. Some people use the technique of looking at the other person's nose or mouth, rather than always looking directly at the eyes. It may be wise to look those in the eye who seem to welcome it, and glance only periodically at those who seem to be made uncomfortable by this practice.
Regardless of what other sales aids you may use in an interview, you should always have a large lined pad and pen available to illustrate your points or make computations.As you engage in more interviews, you will become more sensitive to the reaction you are receiving from the other party. Sometimes you will find that you are receiving attention. This may be due to factors beyond your control, such as events that occurred directly before you meeting, or it may be due to the other person's disinterest in your product. Sometimes the best way to find out is to ask:"I am getting the feeling that I'm not reaching you. Is there something I've missed?"
Talking over the telephone differs from direct interviews in several ways. Usually you will speak to a secretary first. It is wise to tell the secretary who you are, who you represent, and your purpose, so your call can be properly announced. Once you get to speak to your client or prospect you should have some point of interest ready to grasp his attention, since you may have less than 60 seconds to make an initial impact.
Compared to personal interviews, you are operating at a serve disadvantage in telephoned contacts because you may be calling at the wrong time and not realize it, and you can't see the other party's face and gain any reaction from it. You also can easily be cut off before you can obtain all the facts or tell you entire story. Thus an initial impact is much more important than it is in a face-to-face conversation. Before you place a call you should have some idea of what will interest the other party most, and you should be prepared to make this points as quickly, as possible in your conversation. If the point is not made quickly, it may never be made. It is important to be both direct and brief in telephone conversations. It is seldom effective to make complete sales presentation by telephone.
In many cases you will be unable to reach the party you are calling on the initial call. The information you have given the secretary--your name, company, and the complete purpose of your call--should then be left as a message.In the event repeated calls are necessary to make contact, the accumulated weight of your calls assist you in getting through. If you have not left message, every call is considered as if it were the first one.
Putting into practice these suggestions for improving your speaking ability may not make you a polished orator, but you should be able to hold your own in most of the sales situations you encounter. In any case, you will have laid the foundation for greater confidence and continuing improvement.
You learn to develop the necessary speaking techniques by practice, by analyzing your successes and failures, and by continuing to learn as you work. Some techniques to assist you in being a more effective speaker are suggested here.
In person or on the telephone, it is generally better not to try to tell jokes. Even professional comedians bomb occasionally, and in telling jokes there is always the chance of offending someone or some group. Since you don't know your prospects' sensitivities, why risk offending them? Since you are not a professional comedian, why risk embarrassing yourself? Wry, self-deprecating remarks are sometimes useful, since they can't threaten your listener and they may indicate that you don't take yourself too seriously. They also allow you to express criticism of conventional wisdom in a pleasant way. Sarcastic remark directed to others, however,are always out of place; they do only harm.
Most salesperson tend to speed up their speech as they become emphatic or excited. Learning to slow down, particularly for emphasis, is very necessary. A small card with the word slow printed on it to be carried with you into an interview or laid beside the telephone while calling can be helpful. If your listener don't understand you, you might as well not be talking. In any complicated presentation it is important to check the listeners' reaction as you proceed. Do they understand? Go back over the salient points of your presentation. Do they agree? Ask for assent. The longer the presentation, the more important it is to repeat the salient points and check for understanding and agreement.
Varying the pitch and volume of your voice is the best way to indicate emphasis and keep the listener interested. Even the best speaker who has no change of pace can be boring. Dropping the volume to almost a whisper can be as effective as shouting. A drumbeat rhythm can be most emphatic.
In personal interviews with a single individual or speaking before a group, looking your audience in the eye is the only way to be sure of their attention. Eye contact is vital in retaining interest, and it indicates determination and sincerity. These are qualities you want to project.
A set, memorized presentation is usually not desirable. It may appear as if the message were "canned" and perhaps uncertain, and it often seems to lack sincerity. What you should memorize is a list of the salient features of your product and its presentation. Then you can deliver your presentation in a manner which suggests that it has been expressly prepared for the listener. You also avoid the problem of being interrupted in a memorized speech, and then perhaps being unable to gather your thoughts again and continue. Such a situation can be fatal to any salesperson. If you really understand and know what you are attempting to say, you can welcome interruptions and still press on with your main points.
When speaking before a group, avoid a stationary position such as behind a lectern. Movement is necessary to maintain interest, as a gestures,and both are virtually useless if you are hiding behind something solid. Some public speakers grasp lecterns as if they were drowning and were afraid their last support was slipping from their grasp. Such a posture might inspire sympathy but not confidence in you, and that is what you are seeking. Gestures below the waist, which can give the appearance of uncertainty, hesitancy, and lack of confidence, should be avoided. To be certain the microphone is mobile and in working order and that any other equipment, such as speakers or projectors, to be used in a presentation to a group is operative, they should be tested well in advance.
Flip charts can be useful as an aid in exampling a complicated problem or its solution. They should not be used as a crutch or as a substitute for knowing your business. In using such charts, care must be taken to maintain eye contact and to vary the pitch and volume of voice. Other aids, such a projectors or movies, are good for presenting complex, visually oriented presentations before large groups.However, they lack spontaneity and may cause listeners' interest to drop off. In financial sales, I doubt that such charts or other aids should ever be used.
Using hand-held cue cards for any major or involved presentation, particularly before a group,is an absolute necessity, however. You need not try to hide them or apologize for them. Merely state that you have a lot of points to cover and data to present, and you want to be sure to be absolutely accurate.That is all that need be said. Such cards should be numbered to help you cover all major points in order. This also helps you see the trend of your thought should the cards become mixed. The cards should be printed large enough to be read without glasses (if you need them). You may want to remove your glasses to gesture, or it may be impractical for one reason or another to wear them. By using cue cards, youcan be assured of giving fully understood presentation which covers all the points,and you will still appear to be speaking in an impromptu manner.
In one-on-one, in-person interviews, you should try to be relaxed but not too relaxed, at ease but not sprawling. Generally, it is wise to let the prospect or client set the ton as far as small talk is concerned. In some parts of the country, such as the South and West, at least 15 minutes is needed for small talk, whereas in some of the major cities such as New York or Chicago, 3 minutes could be considered being overtalkative. In any event, getting to the point is never a mistake.
As in dealing with a group, eye contact is important, but it should not be challenging. Some people use the technique of looking at the other person's nose or mouth, rather than always looking directly at the eyes. It may be wise to look those in the eye who seem to welcome it, and glance only periodically at those who seem to be made uncomfortable by this practice.
Regardless of what other sales aids you may use in an interview, you should always have a large lined pad and pen available to illustrate your points or make computations.As you engage in more interviews, you will become more sensitive to the reaction you are receiving from the other party. Sometimes you will find that you are receiving attention. This may be due to factors beyond your control, such as events that occurred directly before you meeting, or it may be due to the other person's disinterest in your product. Sometimes the best way to find out is to ask:"I am getting the feeling that I'm not reaching you. Is there something I've missed?"
Talking over the telephone differs from direct interviews in several ways. Usually you will speak to a secretary first. It is wise to tell the secretary who you are, who you represent, and your purpose, so your call can be properly announced. Once you get to speak to your client or prospect you should have some point of interest ready to grasp his attention, since you may have less than 60 seconds to make an initial impact.
Compared to personal interviews, you are operating at a serve disadvantage in telephoned contacts because you may be calling at the wrong time and not realize it, and you can't see the other party's face and gain any reaction from it. You also can easily be cut off before you can obtain all the facts or tell you entire story. Thus an initial impact is much more important than it is in a face-to-face conversation. Before you place a call you should have some idea of what will interest the other party most, and you should be prepared to make this points as quickly, as possible in your conversation. If the point is not made quickly, it may never be made. It is important to be both direct and brief in telephone conversations. It is seldom effective to make complete sales presentation by telephone.
In many cases you will be unable to reach the party you are calling on the initial call. The information you have given the secretary--your name, company, and the complete purpose of your call--should then be left as a message.In the event repeated calls are necessary to make contact, the accumulated weight of your calls assist you in getting through. If you have not left message, every call is considered as if it were the first one.
Putting into practice these suggestions for improving your speaking ability may not make you a polished orator, but you should be able to hold your own in most of the sales situations you encounter. In any case, you will have laid the foundation for greater confidence and continuing improvement.