Post by Jay Iwahashi, GRI on Jun 8, 2005 2:47:08 GMT -5
[glow=red,2,300]Taken from REALTOR.org[/glow]
There's no point in asking clients a lot of questions if you aren't going to listen to their responses. The average person remembers only 25 percent of what is heard. To assess your listening skills, take this quickie listening quiz. The more statements you can answer “yes,” the closer you are to being a great listener.
- Do you make eye contact with the speaker?
- Do you use physical or verbal cues to show you're listening?
- Do you ask clarification questions?
- Do you give the speaker your undivided attention?
- Do you avoid interrupting or contradicting?
- Can you tolerate brief moments of silence?
- Can you restate what has been said to you?
TIP: An even quicker listening test: Repeat what the client said to you, first in the client's words, then in your own. Ask the client if you've understood correctly.
TIP: Take our Gutsy Moves Quiz to see how well you understand and interpret people's behaviors.
For the Advanced Salesperson
Tips for Better Listening
Well-known trainer and speaker Dr. Tony Alessandra of La Jolla, Calif., shares these tips on improving your listening skills.
- Listen for psychological needs. Watch for subtle clues that indicate needs such as security, excitement, or acceptance.
- Listen for the main theme. Analyze how specific facts that the speaker states support, or do not support, what the speaker is getting at.
- Be sensitive to your own emotional biases. Don’t stop listening if the speaker says something that you disagree with or that offends you.
- Take notes. Keep them brief, but don’t count on your memory alone.
- Create a relaxed, uninterrupted atmosphere. Then, let the speaker tell the whole story before you jump in. Avoid distractions that keep you from focusing on the speaker. —Adapted from “Listening Your Way to More Sales,” by Janice Alessandra and Dr. Anthony Alessandra, Washington Area REALTOR®, August 1988.
There's no point in asking clients a lot of questions if you aren't going to listen to their responses. The average person remembers only 25 percent of what is heard. To assess your listening skills, take this quickie listening quiz. The more statements you can answer “yes,” the closer you are to being a great listener.
- Do you make eye contact with the speaker?
- Do you use physical or verbal cues to show you're listening?
- Do you ask clarification questions?
- Do you give the speaker your undivided attention?
- Do you avoid interrupting or contradicting?
- Can you tolerate brief moments of silence?
- Can you restate what has been said to you?
TIP: An even quicker listening test: Repeat what the client said to you, first in the client's words, then in your own. Ask the client if you've understood correctly.
TIP: Take our Gutsy Moves Quiz to see how well you understand and interpret people's behaviors.
For the Advanced Salesperson
Tips for Better Listening
Well-known trainer and speaker Dr. Tony Alessandra of La Jolla, Calif., shares these tips on improving your listening skills.
- Listen for psychological needs. Watch for subtle clues that indicate needs such as security, excitement, or acceptance.
- Listen for the main theme. Analyze how specific facts that the speaker states support, or do not support, what the speaker is getting at.
- Be sensitive to your own emotional biases. Don’t stop listening if the speaker says something that you disagree with or that offends you.
- Take notes. Keep them brief, but don’t count on your memory alone.
- Create a relaxed, uninterrupted atmosphere. Then, let the speaker tell the whole story before you jump in. Avoid distractions that keep you from focusing on the speaker. —Adapted from “Listening Your Way to More Sales,” by Janice Alessandra and Dr. Anthony Alessandra, Washington Area REALTOR®, August 1988.