It has been said that only 15% of your success in life will depend on your technical skills. The other 85% relates to your communication, interaction and human relations skills.
In a recent study (in the USA) it was interesting to note that doctors who were sued the most were not necessarily the ones who made mistakes, but the ones who were arrogant and did not get along with their patients. Is there some sort of parallel in businesses related to sales and advice?
The same philosophy is true for teachers, tradespeople, salespeople and anyone else who relies on other people for their livelihood.
The fact of the matter is we are all selling ourselves, our ideas, our messages every day.
Leading US trainer and speaker Joe Batten says “Before you tell, Ask. Before you talk, Listen. After you listen, Relate. Always show that you careā.
When you can translate “care”, people will want to do business with you and details will not get in the way”.
To build relationships and get people to like you, trust you, sing your praises and get you to keep your job or clients, I have always followed these principals.
- Be Reliable
Reliability means many things, but without it your career or business will fail to grow.
- Do What you Promised to Do
“Speed and accuracy – One is no good without the other”. Think about this one. You have to do it now – but it has to be done right!
- Be Empathetic
I spoke at the Conference about the great service we do for our clients a prospective client. How can I help this person?… Rather than that person being a unit of Income.
Put yourself in the clients’ shoes. Look at their point of view/situation/current circumstances and listen – just listen – before suggesting solutions.
- Watch Your Appearance
A very senior Life Adviser said to me a very long time ago… “If you are seeing a Farmer – dress like a farmerā.
Have you ever heard the saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover?” Well guess what everybody does? Although appearances can be deceiving, customers draw a lot of conclusions about the quality of service on the basis of what they see.
Your dress, your body language, your written materials, your office, even your car! and your verbal skills account for how you are ultimately judged.
Thatās about it from me, but “Trust” is pretty much everything in our world – isn’t it?
“Before you tell, Ask. Before you talk, Listen. After you listen… Relate… and always show that you care”.
Rob McCann
