The idea behind D.i.S.C. is to match or mirror the communication style of the person you’re talking with to make them more comfortable (and loosen their lips). This is just one of the ways you can mirror a person during a conversation. First you need to determine their communication style (and know yours). According to …
Read moreLoosen Their Lips: Match their D.i.S.C. Communication Style
The Radar Screen competitor map is one of my favorite competitive intelligence tools. It is totally visual and fits on one page for easy digestion. It can be used both strategically and tactically and is a rich communication tool. I first read about it in Adrian Slywotzky’s Value Migration: How to Think Several Moves Ahead of the …
Read moreVisualize the Position of Your Competitors on the Radar Screen
I am reading Jacinda Ardern’s recently published book, A Different Kind of Power. At the start of her term as New Zealand’s 40th Prime Minister, she was asked what she’d do differently. In essence, she said she was going to lead from a place of kindness which in fact she did. I wish we had …
We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak. —Epictetus, Philosopher (over 2,000 years ago) We do a lot of digital listening these days whether it’s reading or listening to videos or podcasts, for example. I prefer listening in conversation. It’s active in real time, and …
Read moreHow to Be a Better Listener and Find What You Seek!
So much about life revolves around effective communication. As a primary research expert, I am always looking to for ways to motivate others to share. You need to understand what makes them comfortable to share. I recently read Traci Brown’s book, Persuasion Point: Body Language and Speech for Influence. While the book focuses on closing …
I am most fascinated by what motivates people to share, and how to figure this out quickly, especially during a telephone conversation where you don’t have the benefit of body language. Contrary to what I have been taught: “Do not treat others like you would want to be treated.” Treat them the way THEY want to be treated.
I have applied Johari’s model to classifying those we talk to in the collection process. It’s helpful to be aware of their pre-disposition towards sharing versus what they know. My classifications are: Egocentric; Deeply Knowledgeable; Intellectual and Helpers.
Compelligence recently introduced the Compelligence App which is the only competitive and market intelligence software that integrates seamlessly within Salesforce.com. It builds off the strengths of Salesforce.com in that it helps sales close more deals since it extends the reach of Salesforce.com to include data from the competitive marketplace. Armed with this information at their fingertips, account reps have even more time to sell.
When you rely solely on the Internet and social media as sources of intelligence, you just have your interpretation of what you think is going on. You perpetuate your blind spots, which we all have. That’s why I like to engage in conversation with others when I seek information for important things in my life. It’s a relief to me that leadership in America is stressing the importance of conversation. Perhaps there is some correction from the imbalance and overreliance of digital connections to provide us with the answers we seek in our personal and business lives.
The key to success in communication to and from sales is to understand your company’s sales culture, and what might be fun and engaging for them to be cooperative in sharing what they learn in a timely manner. Go to where sales is to get them to engage. Many sales people travel extensively, so they have time in the car or airplane to write, tape or text about what they’re learning. They also value information from their peers. Maybe you can facilitate more sharing among peers, even informally. In my experience it takes a couple of years to get sales information to flow. You have to earn their trust to build that relationship.
Join us, Arik Johnson and me, Ellen Naylor, for an informative webinar on the how to behind win loss analysis. Win/loss interviews and analysis, are still one of my favorite tactical collection techniques. This is a low cost form of primary collection which always provides a high return for improving your company’s bottom line. Who better than your customers and those who decided on a competitor to tell you what you are doing well and what you need to change?