Focus and Listen to the Customer
Last week I woke up early to go take a spin class at my YMCA. The same YMCA where I teach spin on Thursdays, but this was a Tuesday. I went to just go take a class.
Class starts at 5:45 am. At 5:43 am, it was obvious that there was a scheduling screw up, the instructor was not there. Everyone in the class knows me, so they all looked at me and said “get up front and teach!” Luckily I had my iPod, so I moved my bike to the front, connected the iPod, picked out a prior class I had taught and started.
However, this meant I did not have my printed song list and class plan. In fact, I didn’t know what song would play next until we all heard the first few bars of each song! Interestingly, the class was fantastic, the music was good, the class very attentive and appreciative of me jumping in, even though nothing was planned. There seemed to be extra thank you’s from the attendees to me after class.
I was surprised by this. But as I have thought about this for a few days, it hit me that because I did not have my script, I had to really listen and focus and pay attention. I had to listen to the song very carefully, and quickly, in order to formulate a plan for that song. I had to watch and listen to the students more carefully than normal, to make sure that my ad lib “improv spin class” was hitting the mark for them.
What a great reminder for us when we are with our clients and customers. Now, I am NOT advocating not planning for sales calls, or having an “improv sales call”! What I am advocating is listening more, really hearing what your client has to say and then reacting in that moment to their response.
I had to listen to the song and react and stay in the moment in that spin class. We need to do more of that in our sales calls and presentations. The class was no longer about “my script”, but about the music and the students. Our sales calls need to be less about “my company/my product” and more about the challenges and issues and problems of the client. What is really getting in the way of success for them, what obstacles can they not figure out how to get rid of?
Ask yourself this question, can the customer tell that you know what their issues are by what you are saying, by the questions you are asking, by how you are reacting and responding to them? If not, maybe, try turning your script over one time, ask a question and then listen, really listen and focus on the customer and what they are saying.
Who knows, maybe the thank you’s and smiles from my spin class will be the same as new business for you!