Effective (Two-Way) Communications...The Source Of Ethical Control And Persuasion

(BUILDING LONG-TERM CUSTOMER AND CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS)

By Virden J. Thornton

     Top sales professionals have discovered that a “two-way exchange," not a “one-way sales pitch,” is the most effective method of persuading or enticing another human being to take action. They see it as a highly ethical form of solicitation because it involves a process in which each party influences the other by giving or exchanging something of value, while building an effective ongoing personal relationship.

     Controlled experiments have scientifically established that this approach is unsurpassed in influencing people to change their attitudes and their decis- ions. Simply by encouraging others to communicate their ideas, fears, needs, wants, complaints, and opinions and by getting them to talk about themselves; you can succeed in having them accept your products and services as solutions to the problems that they face.

      Top sales professionals instinctively know that "professional selling" is problem solving, and there is nothing unethical about solving someone’s problems. You need not be reluctant to promote your firm’s or company’s products and services if you realize that the sale you make is a transaction from which both you and your customer, client, or prospect profits.

Selling Is A Specialized Form Of Communications!

     Studies indicate that over 70 percent of our waking hours are spent trying to effectively communicate with one another. Yet many of us feel inadequate or uncomfortable interacting with others. However, to effectively sell or promote your products or services, or to succeed in any of life's important endeavors, we must perfect our communication skills and use them to influence other people. To sell is to communicate! Successful executives, managers or sales represen­tatives are skillful in the methods of interacting with others to gain acceptance for themselves, their ideas and their organization's products or services. Successful selling is a totally interactive process and a distinct form of communication or social interaction by which you can ethically control and influence the behavior of prospective clients or customers.

      Marketing is made up of four separate, yet similar, forms of sales com- munications or disciplines: in-person selling, advertising, public relations, and trade shows. Used in the fight combination or mix, these communication formats can lead someone into making a sound buying decision. A successful marketing mix stimulates an exchange of attitudes, feelings, and thoughts between an organization's employees and the people the company or prof- essional firm wishes to influence. However, without personal interac­tion or a "two-way" exchange, it is almost impossible to obtain the edge needed to stimulate the ongoing purchase of an organization's products and services. Nothing happens until someone sells some thing is as true today with all of our sophisticated communications methods and approaches as it was twenty to fifty years ago.

Effective Proposals That Sell! 

Understanding A Person's Need For Acceptance  

     The need for approval and a desire by almost everyone to be understood and accepted is the basis of persuasion in successful sales communication. At the Michigan State University Research Center for Group Dynamics, Professor Kurt Lewin discovered that individuals are much more likely to accept and act upon concepts learned through active two-way communications, than through a passive role as a listener. His findings suggest that when people are actively involved in the discussion, their basic needs for approval and acceptance are positively reinforced. This creates a climate where people are even willing to accept concepts they have previously rejected. Lewin's research also showed that positive reinforcement operates at an individual's instinct level rather than at an intellectual level. Experiments demonstrated conclusively that such simple reinforcements as head nodding to show agreement, leaning forward to show interest, smiling to indicate approval or just saying "I see” or "that’s right" were powerful tools in changing the opinions and behavior in participants. Interestingly, in 31 separate experiments, never once did participants realize that they had changed their opinions or behavior because of this positive reinforcement.  

     Our need for approval is a desirable condition and part of our drive to achieve a better life. It is not a reasoning or intellectual process--but ins- tinctive! A person instinctively repeats any act, which is immediately reinforced by the receipt of some psychological value such as a smile or head nod. For example, when your prospect is reinforced by receipt of value, there seems to be an instinctive urge to return that value. When a prospect receives approval or understanding, she is impelled to give you what she perceives you want. Therefore, you should never lose sight of trying to satisfy this universal instinct during a sales presentation. It should become an integral part of your overall approach to communicating about your products or services.

VIRDEN THORNTON is the founder and President of The $elling Edge^®, Inc. a firm specializing in sales, customer relations, and management training and development. Clients have included Sears Optical, Eastman Kodak, IBM, Deloitte & Touché, Bank One, Jefferson Pilot, and Wal-Mart to name a few. Virden is the author of Prospecting: The Key To Sales Success and the best selling Building & Closing the Sale, Fifty-Minute series books and Close That Sale, a video/audio tape series published by Crisp Publications, Inc. Menlo Park, California. He has also authored a Self-Directed Learning series of sales, coaching & team development, telemarketing, and personal productivity training guides. To obtain a substantial discount on two of Virden's new manuals, 101 Sales Myths and Organizing For Sales Success, just click on either of the titles above.

Note: You can contact Virden at virden@TheSellingEdge.com. You can also see an expan- ded biography at http://www.TheSellingEdge.com/bio.htm.

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