Effective Salespeople Act Like Coaches

Before becoming a coach, I was in sales. Over 15 years of experimenting with different sales approaches taught me a lot about what to do and what NOT to do. Looking back at those days, I realize that most of the things that worked in sales are fundamental coaching competencies.

Successful salespeople listen with curiosity, ask intuitive, curious questions, and connect with others in a genuine way. So do the best coaches. Skills that are cornerstones to coaching are: Active Listening, Acknowledgement, Appreciative Inquiry, and Emotional Intelligence. Here’s how those skills can lead to more meaningful connections in business and in return, result in increased sales.

Active Listening

A good coach actively listens far more than he or she talks. But active listening differs from simply listening. Active listening means hearing what the other person is saying but also what they’re *not* saying. This is essential to fully understand what is being communicated. As a sales professional, you must observe the other person’s non-verbal cues, tone of voice and emotions to adapt and respond in a way that shows you are engaged and interested.

Acknowledgement

Everyone wants to feel heard. Acknowledgement is only possible if you are actively, attentively listening. Acknowledgment is how you let your prospect know you’re listening. Many salespeople manage objections to their pitch by avoiding the subject or launching into a counter-pitch. But acknowledging and addressing a prospect’s challenges, objections or skepticism is a powerful way of creating trust and respect.

When you are listening intently, you will be able to verbally acknowledge what you think will be important to the other person based on your conversation.

Appreciative Inquiry

After a coach actively listens, they connect with their clients by asking thoughtful, intuitive questions. As a salesperson, the conversation will flow easily and meaningfully when you relate your questions to something your prospect previously stated. Prefacing a question with a statement that acknowledges or affirms the person’s feelings makes the question even more productive.

Emotional Intelligence

EQ is a buzzword in the business world these days. It means being in tune with your emotions, but more importantly, the emotions of others. It means being able to identify and even anticipate how you or someone else may feel.

Emotional intelligence is important in any relationship. But if you are trying to engage a prospect instead of putting them on the defensive, you must practice emotional intelligence. In a sales scenario, a high EQ can help you relate to people better, manage awkward moments and be more empathetic.

In conclusion, when you are out networking or making sales calls, approach each interaction with the curiosity of a coach. Try to listen more than you are comfortable with and be observant and intuitive. The results will speak for themselves.