One of my favorite takeaways from sales class has been learning more about basic communication. Specifically by understanding the way people think and some common communication pitfalls. It allows you to understand and be understood better and to be a better salesman. One strategy for communication that we have discussed is being comfortable going for “no” to bring clarity to a conversation. By asking for the “no”, you communicate to the other person that you are not desperate and are comfortable getting a “no” as a response. Going for “no” also puts you in an advantaged position in negotiation because if they were on the fence, it helps them to think through the positive attributes of the decision and you effectively can get them on your side of the argument. After learning about this, I have enjoyed practicing this technique in casual conversation with friends and family. It is amazing how effective it is to cut through confusion and in the best cases your prospect will start arguing for your solution. This is important because they do not feel like they are being sold to, they are doing the selling themselves.
There is a great scene in the movie “Hitch” where Will Smith’s character uses this technique to intrigue the romantic attention of a girl in a bar. The first time I watched this scene, I was blown away by his character’s suave mannerisms and how effortlessly he was able to steer the conversation in a favorable direction. I had my fiancé and sister break down the sales techniques in the scene in a similar way to what we had done in class. We were all surprised to find that the simple technique of going for “no” and being comfortable with the prospect of rejection is not only something that a Casanova movie star can employ. In fact, anyone who takes some time to learn and practice these communication techniques can become more persuasive and easier to understand.
BoweryJE22