Empathy the Crucial Key to Sales Success

As a sales rep, no matter what your selling, or to whom, there is a preconceived idea that you may not be all that trustworthy. Thank the age-old stereotype of the slick “used car salesman”. You know the guy- the pushy, smarmy, and insistent person who doesn’t take no for an answer. In fact, because of this caricature, many people avoid interacting with sales reps by dodging phone calls, not answering emails, and waiting until they’re desperate for something before they reach out.

But, take heart. The image of those in sales is changing as consumers become more savvy and better at knowing what they want. The picture of the overly-aggressive salesperson is fading away, in part because of the positive evolution of the customer/sales rep relationships being formed more and more in today’s businesses.

Building Successful Sales Relationships

One of the biggest reasons for the relationship that’s taking place between clients and sales reps is the improved manner in how salespeople listen to their customers and respond in earnest to their needs. There’s no reason to push aggressively when you have a client’s trust. You know the way to earning their trust is by first understanding their needs, and then exceeding those needs, and helping them to realize success.

When it comes to understanding the needs of your customer, empathy is one of the most valuable tools in your sales kit. Empathy, by the very definition of the word, means meeting the needs of someone with compassion and concern. Empathy is the basis of relationships. It helps connect you with another person.

When you find yourself struggling to close a transaction, step back and ask yourself if you’re truly listening and demonstrating empathy. What are you doing to make your client feel heard, understood, and important? When you know what someone thinks and feels, you are in a better position to help them get what they want and need.

Here are five useful phrases that can be used to express empathy, build trust, and help shape a solid business relationship. While we would all agree that these expressions are common sense, are they common practice? How often do you use them? See how many of these common sense phrases you can turn into common sense practices and good habits for building successful relationships with clients.

 “I hear what you’re saying.”

When you stop using a sales script and let your prospect know that you are indeed listening, and, moreover hearing what they’re telling you, it speaks volumes more than any canned sales speech ever could. As your client expresses his or her pain points, you can further your empathetic response by asking them “how can I help you?”. Be sure to listen to understand as this will give you a clearer understanding of the specifics, and enable you to move toward an effective solution.

 “Sounds like you’re dealing with some tough challenges.”

When you acknowledge that your client is dealing with difficult problems you’re letting them know you see it that way as well. By paying attention to the feelings, nuances, and needs that come across in your client’s words you’re validating their message and building trust. You become partners in seeking out a way to solve challenges with the best solutions.

 “I’m so sorry to hear that.”

When you let your client know that you’re truly sorry to hear that they are dealing with these pain points, you legitimize not only your understanding of their situation, but your empathetic response to their concerns will encourage your prospect to open up, vent and share. This will give you more insight into the problem, and allow you to begin to formulate a solution.

 “You’ve certainly have overcome some adversity.”

Adversity is relative, everyone at some time in their personal or professional life deals with difficulty. Recognizing and communicating that your prospective client has had to overcome a significant amount of adversity to get to where they are lets them know that you’re paying attention. Further, this display of empathy lets them know that not only do you see how far they’ve come, but you believe in their ability to persevere. You are letting them know that you have their back.

 Say nothing; just listen.

It’s been said that most of the time we don’t listen to understand, we listen to reply. Let your client express his or her viewpoint without interrupting, finishing their sentence. or trying to fix things. Instead, listen and listen to what’s not being said when he or she talks about the weaknesses and pain points. When you practice listening, and affirming what’s being expressed, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for what the client is going through and be better able to offer help. Together you can build a solution, forming a client-sales rep relationship which will serve you again and again.

 Develop Your Empathetic Nature

Obviously, you don’t want to simply provide “lip service” to your client by using these phrases as a script when things get tough. Remember to exercise your empathetic nature by listening, recognizing there are challenges, and expressing your sympathy when things aren’t going their way. Communicate the fact that your client has found positive ways to overcome adversity and challenges.

Once you begin implementing these practices of empathy, you may find your phone calls are returned, or even answered on the first attempt. Your emails will take on a new tone, and the responses will be positive. Being seen as someone who actually wants to understand, and help resolve, the needs, and pain points of the customer will serve to make you a more successful, trusted, and well-respected business partner.