Listening. The Most Powerful Skill In Marketing.

Co-President Danny Rosin spoke on the power of listening at the recent High Five Conference. Here are a few of Danny’s professional ‘Q-Tips’ on listening:

Q-Tip 1: Keep an open chair in your meetings to represent your customer.

• Your customer is wondering, ‘Are you designing for me? Are you responding to me? Are you engaging with me? Do you know me? Are you listening to me?’

Q-Tip 2: Be a “learn it all” versus a “know it all.”

• Let’s be honest… no one likes a ‘know it all.’ Instead, focus on gaining new insight into how to better meet your customers needs.

Q-Tip 3: Create Listening Channels.

• Use tradeshows to create intimate experiences with potential customers versus just sitting at a booth with a fishbowl, getting a stacks of business card ‘leads’ for your sales team to sort through. Badge scans aren’t enough.

• Send a survey with an added branded giveaway perk to incentivize respondents to provide insight on purchases, service levels, company direction, etc.
• During in-person presentations, ENGAGE! Ask questions making it about them. DON’T dump information on them about your trophy chest.

Q-Tip 4: Engage deeply with customers in meetings.  

• Get them out of their office, to bypass interruption.
• Take detailed notes.
• Avoid defensiveness when your customer shares feedback.
• Communicate understanding to make sure your customer truly feels heard.

These are just a few “tips” to put in your kit – and through repeat usage with each of your customers, you’ll discover your strong points in the area of listening.

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