Presentation Pointer from my East Coast Fripp Associate Sims Wyeth.
"We tend to equate selling with talking, which can lead us to talk too much and listen too little when meeting with prospects.
In fact, asking questions, listening deeply to client responses, and asking follow up questions to clarify what we hear may be a far more effective way to sell than a pitch that basically says, “My product is cool.”
Listening is a way of paying attention that people feel obliged to reciprocate. If you listen to them, they will listen more attentively to you when it’s your turn to talk.
Thanks Sims, and more about reciprocation…
"Why do people say 'yes'? How can we get them to comply with our requests?" I asked my friend David Palmer, an expert on organizational development and marketing.
"Fortunately, people often say 'yes' or agree with requests out of mindless compliance," David told me. "They are frequently willing to say 'yes' automatically without thinking first. It makes their lives simpler and smoother. But what most of us are trying to overcome is the opposite phenomenon, when they've programmed themselves to say 'no' without thinking about it.
"Here's where the emotional triggers come in. Researcher Robert Cialdini at Arizona State University describes the 'Six Weapons of Influence,' as he calls them, in his book, Influence, Science and Practice (Allyn & Cacon, 2000)."
1. RECIPROCATION – "The Old Give and Take–and Take"
All of us are taught we should find some way to repay others for what they do for us. Most people will make an effort to avoid being considered a moocher, ingrate, or person who does not pay their debts.
This is an extremely powerful tactic and can even spur unequal exchanges. In one experiment, for example, half the people attending an art appreciation session were offered a soft drink. Afterwards, all were asked if they would buy 25-cent raffle tickets. Guess what? The people who had been offered the soft drinks purchased twice as many raffle tickets, whether or not they had accepted the drinks!
You probably already use this principle, but it is much stronger than you suspect. You can build a sense of indebtedness in someone by delivering a number of uninvited "first favors" over time. They don't have to be tangible gifts. In today's world, useful information is one of the most valuable favors you can deliver.
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