Bridging The Communication Gap

Miscommunication can be a costly occurrence.

Defined simply by Merriam Webster as failure to communicate clearly, the causes of miscommunication can vary significantly – lack of forethought or preparation, poor verbal skills or intentional deceit on the part of the sender; lack of comprehension,
poor listening skills or distraction on the part of the receiver.

In a 2005 article, author and conflict resolution expert Tristan Loo suggests that miscommunication is also the primary contributing factor to conflict.

“Miscommunication opens up the triangle of other factors that inevitably leads to conflict,” he says.

He goes on to explain that people tend to fear the worst outcome. In miscommunication the mind will fill in missing information with its own creative insight, which is often fear-based. Our minds naturally seek logical explanations to events as well. Absent those explanations, our minds frequently switch to a fear-based mode in which we satisfy our need for answers with that of assumption. Once we lock-into our assumptions the tendency is to believe them as truth, thus resulting in conflict.

The Solution – Trial Closing
In the selling world, a great deal is lost to misunderstanding and conflict. Buyers tend to buy from people they like and trust – but miscommunication, as noted above, breeds uncertainty, conflict and distrust.

To bridge the gap, Loo suggests people adopt an open mind with respect to alternative possibilities. To facilitate this, increased use of clarifying questions by all parties during need assessments, business meetings, conversations and presentations is the key.

Since it is an accepted principle that the primary sender of communication must take the responsibility for the quality of the communication, then the person who is selling, promoting or persuading should be the one to initiate these clarifying questions which, when properly used, will confirm both understanding and receptivity.

What Are You (Really) Selling?

It is every sales person’s job to distinguish his or her products and services from those offered by the competition. And in a business world crowded with competitive offerings, an attempt to accomplish this by selling features and price most often fails.

BMW makes cars, but they talk about (sell) performance and prestige! Volvo sells safety. What are you selling?

Facing the challenges of buyers who focus on price or who "commoditize" our products and services is difficult. Success can only be achieved by selling benefits and solutions.

The Benefit of Hope

Can you find a way to sell the benefit of hope?

The practice might very well provide you with a significant advantage, especially in today's tough economy.

You may be familiar with the axiom, "Features tell, but benefits sell." If so, then you know it simply means that, when involved in selling, we should avoid the trap of talking about or promoting "features" in favor of identifying and promoting the benefits that are relevant to our audience.

So, you may be wondering, how does the benefit of "hope" fit into the picture? Like many things in life, this concept is simple but not easy.

The key is to learn enough about our audience − their challenges and goals − so that we can identify what might provide them with hope. This is not easy work. It requires effective probing and (of all things!) listening skills, and it requires the use of both common sense and imagination. But we must determine how our product or service can help them improve their overall position going forward. We must figure out how to help them become hopeful going forward into what, by all expectations, will be a difficult economic year. And then we must share the hope and good news interms of benefits.

For example, if you sell consulting services, how will your customers benefit from those services? Are they hoping to reduce head count, hiring or training costs? Are they looking for ways to save time? Can your consulting services help? If so, howcan this best be quantified and presented?

If you sell technology or office equipment, how might your customers benefit? Are they working to enhance productivity or lower operating costs? If so, how can your solutions help them achieve these goals or objectives in 2009?

In other words, instead of worrying about reduced budgets, lower spending limits or total cutbacks, the mission is to work harder at identifying and presenting the most relevant solutions − solutions that will give your customers hope in their ability to achieve their objectives or deal with their challenges.

Closer to Home
Selling takes place at many levels. While many of us sell products and services to our customers, business owners or managers must also "sell" concepts, policies and procedures to staff members every day. Regardless of the venue, the most successful sellers are those who are able to identify and promote the "right" benefits.

So when interacting with employees − often referred to as "internal" customers − our mission this year is to promote the benefit of hope.

Hope for a secure future; hope and belief in their ability to achieve success despite the gloom-and-doom presented each day in the news.

If the economy is, at least to some degree, a function of consumer confidence and attitude, then let's become the catalysts for a more hopeful perspective.