What do you think?
You will make more friends in a week by getting yourself interested in other people than you can in a year by trying to get other people interested in you.
-Arnold Bennett
Think of somebody new who you recently met who you now call friend. Why did you like them when you met them? How did they communicate with you? Chances are, you connected with them because they showed more interest in YOU than themselves. Before they started telling you all about their job, family and favorite hobby, they first asked you about yours. And they REALLY cared about the answer. They didn’t ask the question then look down to their iPhone to see who just Twittered or texted.
So the formula is simple. If you want more friends, customers and more rewarding relationships, begin every conversation this week with a question. Replace the “I think…” with “What do you think?” When selling, remove the “My product will make your life easier by…” and replace it with, “How do you think that feature will help you?” (even if you know the answer) By replacing your statements with questions, you will learn, solve, sell, lead and connect with more people than ever. And those relationships you create will become your most valued and precious asset.
July 29th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
People buy with their emotional brain and if you try to sell to their logical brain first, you will lose the sale every time. You first must engage their emotional brain and then, and only then, can you engage their logical brain with a solution.