How to Stand Out From the Crowd: Part 5

You know, by now, that I’m a huge proponent of building real business relationships in the pursuit of better marketing.

It’s the real connections, the honest discussions and the mutually beneficial interactions that are the cornerstone of any long-term successes.

But you don’t build those types of connections overnight, and they’re not always intuitive. How are you supposed to build a solid business relationship in the first place? How are you supposed to even start?

(Aside: The online readability checker I just used on the text above  suggests that I simplify the wording to make it easier to understand. There, are apparently, complex sentences with too many polysyllabic words. Well, you know what? In the interests of building a real connection with you, I’m going to go ahead and assume that you’re smart enough to understand some long words here and there. 🙂 )

Start by Listening

Most business people start off with their own agenda. Sure they’ll hear what you say, but they don’t really listen. It doesn’t matter what you say, they’ve got their script and they’re sticking to it. Voice all the objections you want,  it won’t make a difference.

How do you identify the non-listeners? Easy. Just ask them a tricky question…like this:

You: So if I buy your widget I have to pay extra for support, right?

Them: Yes, but… bla, bla, bla…

You: But I don’t think I need the most expensive support package, do I?

Them: No, but…bla, bla, bla…

and so it goes… on and on… just listen for the BUT and prepare for a non-answer to your questions because they’re not actually listening to you.

Don’t be a Bla-Bla Business Person

How do you avoid falling into the bla-bla trap? How can you really learn to listen, and, in doing so, stand out from the crowd of business people who haven’t got a clue about building real business relationships?

The answer is…

Start Asking Questions!

I’m not talking about the kind of questions which are only asked because they’re in the script. I’m talking about the questions that really make a difference. The questions that show you understand and that you (gasp!) actually care about your prospect or client or potential customer.

So here’s how that script above gets reframed when you’re in the kind of listening mode that works well and builds rapport.

You: So if I buy your widget I have to pay extra for support, right?

Them: Well, only if you need it. Tell me more about…

You: But I don’t think I need the most expensive support package, do I?

Them: Let’s figure out together what your needs are likely to be…

There’s more food for thought about how asking questions helps you stand out from the crowd in the video below.  You may add your comments and experiences (both as a seller and as a potential buyer) underneath the video.