Improve Communication Skills and Increase Sales in 6 Steps

Business isn’t all about the numbers, metrics, and analytical data.

The communication skills you have when interacting with your clients or potential clients can have a significant impact on your annual revenue goals.  When your objective is to increase business sales, it’s vital that you consider how effective your communication skills are.

The definition of communication according to the BusinessDictionary.com is a “two-way process of reaching mutual understanding, in which participants not only exchange information…but also create and share meaning.  In general, communication is a means of connecting people or places.”

In sales, your communication skills are what move your clients from no to maybe to yes.  They are what clear their confusion. They are what helps them bypass internal objections.  They are what helps them decide to pay the invoice and sign the contract.

Improving your communication skills takes practice, but the more you do it, the more natural you become.  Read on to find 6 steps you can take to improve your communication skills and increase your business sales.

Be an Active Listener

Listening is a challenging practice for many because we often don’t listen to understand; instead, we prepare our response.  Being an active listener encourages you to focus on what your potential client is saying. It gives them the sense that you’re interested in the conversation and boosts rapport.

These 3 steps can help you be a better listener and improve communication skills.

Pay Attention:

Give your client your undivided attention.  Don’t get distracted by your thoughts. Don’t allow your environment to cause interference.  Don’t prepare your response while listening. Instead, acknowledge what is being said and make your potential client feel like they have your full attention because they should.

Show You’re Listening:

Your body language indicates to your client how much you’re listening.  Show you’re paying attention to what’s being said by using both verbal and nonverbal cues.  Non-verbal gestures include nodding your head and smiling. Verbal cues include saying “uh huh” and “okay.”  When giving verbal cues, be sure not to interrupt your client. At this stage in the conversation, your goal is only to make your client feel heard.

Reiterate or Gain Clarification

When communicating, it is okay to reiterate what was said or ask for clarification when you’re at the appropriate phase in your conversation.  This might include you saying things such as

“What I hear you saying is…”

“Do you mean…when you say…”

“What it sounds like you’re saying is…”

Pay Attention

Paying attention is a component of being an active listener; however, it’s worth mentioning again. As stated previously, it’s important to be physically and mentally available during your conversation.  This includes ignoring all internal and external distractions.

When you are not paying attention, it’s off-putting to your potential client.  It demonstrates that you’re not serious about your conversation. You also appear unprofessional and as if you’re only interested in how the partnership will benefit you.  When you’re trying to make a sale, you never want a potential client to have those thoughts about you.

Pay Attention to Body Language and Tone

Professor Albert Mehrabian, current UCLA professor, came to the now famous conclusion that communication is 7% verbal, 55% body language, and 38% voice tone.  When you’re engaged in a conversation, pay close attention to the body language of the person you’re speaking with. Body language is displayed in a variety of ways including

Facial expressions

Body movements

Posture

Eye contact

Spatial distance

Touch

In some instances, it’s best to improve your communication skills by mirroring the body language and tone of whom you’re speaking to.  If their tone is formal, make sure yours is as well. If they smile, you smile also. This strategy should be done naturally so as not appear to be a mime.  When you mimic their body language correctly, it often makes them feel more comfortable with you and like your conversation is going well.

Be Honest

Honesty is a sales technique that doesn’t often come to mind. Just because you’re in the position to sell something, it doesn’t mean you have to reduce your moral capacity to that of a sleazy used car salesman.  Be upfront about what you know and don’t know. Be honest about what your product or service can provide. Be forthcoming with the results of your product or service. If you come across as dishonest, it will significantly decrease the likelihood that a sale will transpire from the conversation, and your potential client will be unlikely to speak highly of you or your firm to others.

Be Knowledgeable

When you’re trying to get a potential client to purchase your product or service, you are charged with being the expert about that product or service.  You should know the ins and outs of what you’re selling. Be aware of the benefits and what type of client it best suits. Know the typical objections people have to the purchase of the product or service and have a rebuttal ready for any doubts.  Also, know what people love about what you’re selling. Having this knowledge will help you have a conversation beyond mere facts and figures. Being knowledgeable builds the know, like, and trust factor you have with your potential client.

Focus on Solutions

When involved in a sales call or meeting, your goal is to listen actively to your potential client and showcase how your product or service can be a solution to their problem.  Always discover what their problem is and take the role of a problem solver. In business, people generally make purchases to serve as solutions. If you can adequately communicate how what you’re selling solves their problem, you’ve won half the battle.

When you’re working to make a sale remember that you’re speaking to a human being, not a business.  It’s acceptable to behave in a personable manner. It’s okay to have a goal based conversation without it feeling sleazy and sales-y.  People buy from those whom they know, like, and trust. Help your potential clients know you, like you and trust you, so they feel comfortable signing the contract and paying the invoice.  

Developing excellent communication skills shouldn’t just be geared toward one person in your business.  This concept should be shared amongst everyone from the top down. Increasing employee engagement so they are actively committed to improving communication skills is the way to go.  Whether you have a team of 5 or 50, you can download a free copy of my book, 5 Tips to Improve Employee Engagement here.  You will find tons of actionable strategies you can implement to ensure your entire team is engaged and ready to improve communication skills.