Listen, learn and increase business

18 January 2010

I have a simple philosophy on marketing - it begins and ends with the customer. The more you know and understand about your clients, the better equipped you are to meet their needs.

Therefore my first marketing tip is to talk and, importantly, listen to your clients more. It is a simple, yet effective marketing tool that rarely gets discussed.

Listening helps form relationships that are vital to help create greater trust, loyalty and engagement with your business.

I would go as far as to say that listening is the most important form of communication. To enhance your listening skills, practice the art of
active listening.

Do this, and you will see an increase in sales - more clients will convert, you’ll see more repeat business and referrals.

Active listening is a great way of understanding your clients and what they think and feel about your business, without making them feel as though they are being interrogated. It is also a good way to find market opportunities.

One element of active listening is to ask the right questions. Closed questions generally require a monosyllabic reply, so ask open questions. These can lead to deeper conversation, generate greater insights and, ultimately, business.

For example, rather than ask: “do you prefer product X or Y?” ask “how would you go about choosing between products X and Y?”.

Asking too many questions risks putting people off, but ask too few and you waste an incredible opportunity. By listening actively, you will see
your sales grow.

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