If you asked your sales and marketing teams what matters most to your customers, would their answers be the same as what your customers say?
There’s a big difference between hearing what a customer says and really listening to understand what they mean.
Have you ever said in exasperation “you may be hearing me, but you’re not listening to me”?
That’s because HEARING is a physical act.
It’s the function or process of perceiving sound.
But ACTIVE LISTENING is a deliberate choice to pay attention to the words your customers are speaking in order to absorb their meaning and develop an emotional response.
Hearing without listening brings to mind the expression “in one ear and out the other”.
Customers pick up very quickly on whether your sales team really cares about what they’re saying or just feigning interest until they see an opening to make a pitch.
Engaging with customers begins with asking thoughtful probing questions to discover what they value and what matters most to them.
THEN listening to understand how your company can be of help.
It’s the difference between listening to what your customers are really saying or choosing to focus instead on what your company wants to hear.
👉 Here’s your Morning Edge:
Now that you’ve read today’s Morning Edge, ask your sales and marketing teams what matters most to your customers and see if their answer makes sense.
If you’d like to discuss this further, just reply with “Let’s Discuss Active Listening”.