Listening to people is an important factor in learning.
Likely, you can recall favorite points that you have heard in a speech. Listening to people and a discourse, however, involves more than just collecting outstanding points. A speech is like a journey. Although there may be interesting things to see along the way, the main thing is the destination, the objective. The speaker may be trying to lead the audience to a certain conclusion or move them to take some action. You have to be careful not to talk too much about selling when you first get people started in Network Marketing. Most people are overloaded with unpleasant conceptions and emotional residue from their brushes with the dreaded “Sales” force in their lives.
Listening to people- How it affects on Network Marketing?
Unfortunately, most Network Marketers do little to change the situation for their new people. Most do not let their people know that selling is simply a skill—that you don’t have to change your personality or become something you don’t really want to be when you really grasp what it is we do in sales.
The average American, at one point in his or her life, probably tried sales when they were young— you know, selling chocolate bars or Girl Guide cookies— and found they didn’t like it, or they weren’t good at it. Perhaps they didn’t like it because they were told to say something that they didn’t feel was true, or they didn’t believe in the product they were selling. Most of us can remember meeting a person who was the stereotype salesperson image that totally turned us off. He was just too pushy.
Because of that, there is a real dislike for this thing called “selling.” But when you truly understand the fundamentals of what the Network Marketing business is all about, you can be not only very persuasive and successful but a very gentle and sensitive salesperson. We all do it at one time or another.
The average person goes into sales because someone tells them they should, is what one would call an “interested extrovert.” In most cases, the people that do the best in sales are interested introverts. These are sensitive, concerned people who are simply taught to ask the right questions—not overbearing, overpowering “sales” personalities and who believe in their product and business.
The average person going into Network Marketing would never consider going into the sales business if asked to consider selling. But the people you want to get involved in Network Marketing are average people—good people who want to serve and contribute to others—who also desire to have a second or third income for their family . . . and who want to have an entrepreneurial opportunity, to create their own business. These people can do very well by not acting, thinking or walking like the stereotypical salesperson, but by becoming a great master of questioning—by developing the skills of listening to people and doing the job in such a way that is fun and exciting.
Listening to people i.e. to what your customer or prospect has to say and respect his opinions. Whenever possible, commend and encourage him. At times, a customer or prospect may need advice or even correction, and that may not always be easy to give. However, a loyal mentor will have the courage to point out a serious fault and offer tactful guidance.
Most People who are yet not qualified sales professionals, find themselves selling in Network Marketing, have a tendency to tell customers and prospects what they should do with statements of fact. They are successful in steering people, into what they think that person should do.
In Network Marketing, we see a lot of people who don’t do well because they try to persuade and push people to join their organization for the reasons that THEY joined. For example, perhaps the Networker knows that this person could make a lot of money in this business. But there are a lot of people in the world who don’t have money as their main motivation.
So ask yourself, what does this person need or require?
You need to do two things:
- Ask questions, and
- Listening to people for their answers.
Listen—and be flexible.
Listening to people carefully —without interrupting—so that you can get the full scope of the problem. When replying, be reasonable. If you rigidly adhere to rules, your Customer or prospect will be tempted to look for loopholes.
Listening to people during a discussion is, in certain respects, like sharing in a conversation. To benefit fully, listen carefully. Observe the direction in which the discussion is moving. Note how the speaker emphasizes the theme and the main points. Mentally respond to his questions. Listen as others explain and apply the material. Looking at the information from the viewpoint of others may give you fresh insight into a familiar subject.
Mentally respond to questions asked; carefully listening to people helps to present comments.
Listening to People – There are basically three kinds of listeners.
Take a look at these three types and decide which one you are:
THE POOR LISTENER:
- He makes it look like he is listening to people, but, in fact, isn’t listening at all. He is mentally thinking about what he is going to say next. Poor Listeners don’t pick up body language at all. They just don’t stop, look or listen.
THE AVERAGE LISTENER:
- These people hear the words and vaguely pick up on some non-verbal cues and clues, but they’re not highly sensitive to body language or what is below the words because they are looking for an opening to jump in with their presentation—with their own agenda. They immediately have solutions to your perceived problems.
THE EMPATHETIC LISTENER:
- The third type is what we are teaching people to be. This listener completely focuses on the other person. He is not only hearing the words, he is also observing body language and picking up non-verbal clues that will let them know there’s something going on behind those words. An expert Listener is empathic; he is kind; he chooses his words with tact and makes an effort to avoid unduly hurting the feelings of the other person.
Tips for effective listening to people:
- Focus your attention on the speaker
- Keep your eyes on the speaker
- Look for the objective of a talk
- Mentally respond to questions asked; listening to people helps to present comments.
- Take brief notes
- Isolate points that you personally plan to apply
When you ask a question, listen attentively to the reply. Indicate your genuine interest by a word, a nod, a gesture. Do not interrupt. With an open mind, consider what is being said. Be quick to hear, slow about speaking. When you do respond, show that you were really listening to people and to what was said.
Like selling itself, listening to people is a skill. All it takes to master listening is discipline. In the beginning, it takes discipline to ask questions about your prospects and serve as an advisor, rather than as a person trying to get them to do something. Asking these questions is what you have to focus on.
This is perhaps your most vital skill, to teach your people to start asking questions right in the beginning, it’s amazing how quickly and completely their prospects will open up to them.
Remember that if your people have the desire to learn this approach—that’s great. But desire alone won’t do it. It also takes discipline.
Discipline, also, is a skill that needs to be learned. The Network Marketers who learn discipline, who learn to be empathetic listeners, who learn to sell naturally, will become very successful.
Network Marketers are the most excited group of people in the world, but many of them lack a lot of the skills that need to be acquired to become successful Network Marketing entrepreneurs.
The time is right for Network Marketing. Don’t every think that the Network Marketing program is easy. It’s not easy until after you’ve already built your network.
That’s why it takes a real dedicated person who knows what pace they want to work, so they don’t have expectations that are unrealistic—a person who knows what their real strengths and weaknesses are, so they don’t get devastated when after three months it hasn’t worked yet.
Some of the top people in Network Marketing didn’t really hit success until two or three years of doing it.
Simple? Yes, easy no. Nothing this good ever is. Much depends on how you are listening to people.
REPLACE FEAR WITH CURIOSITY Courage Changes Everything.
