Sales are all about communication. From listening to prospects’ problems, giving that perfect pitch, and persuading prospects to make a purchase, communication plays a big role in each and every stage of the sales process.

Therefore, having excellent communication skills is crucial for you to be a successful salesperson. 

In this article, we are going to look at 10 communication skills that you absolutely need to master to achieve sales success.

1. Read Body Language

Compared to words, body language says a lot more about what goes on inside a person’s mind. To be a successful salesperson, you need to be skilled at reading your prospect’s body language. Understanding exactly what they feel will give you that edge you need to push your product.

As a body language expert, you will know whether your prospects are engaged or disengaged, how receptive and interested they are in what you’re saying, whether they’re being defensive, and so on. 

Armed with this information, you can then react to them accurately and effectively in order to guide the conversation in the right direction.

2. Be Empathetic

Sales are not about convincing a prospect to buy what you’re selling regardless of whether they need it or not. Instead, sales are about understanding the challenges your prospect is facing and providing them with a solution.

To do this, you need empathy. Look at things from your prospects’ perspective and understand how a problem is affecting them. Then, evaluate whether what you’re selling will actually help them.

Empathy can mean passing on a sales opportunity if you genuinely feel that your product won’t help the client. You might lose the sale, but you’ll build a reputation as a trustworthy advisor, which will be more beneficial in the long run.

3. Be A Subject Matter Expert

It’s impossible to be a great communicator if you don’t fully know what you’re talking about. If you want to effectively persuade a prospect to purchase what you’re selling, you have to know everything about your product. This includes being able to answer any questions the prospect may ask.

If a prospect thinks that you don’t know what you’re talking about, you can forget about the sale.

4. Don’t Make Assumptions

As a salesperson, it’s tempting to make assumptions about your prospects. But every prospect is unique. By making assumptions, you’re actually losing the opportunity to properly understand your prospect and their needs. 

Instead of making assumptions, you’re better off directly asking your prospect questions that clarify their needs.

5. Be Comfortable With Silence

One reason why salespeople are perceived as too chatty is because most people are uncomfortable with silence. Whenever there is a moment of silence, they try to fill it by giving unsolicited details about their product or asking the prospect unnecessarily annoying questions.

When a prospect takes time to think before giving you a response, they are probably considering their options – which isn’t a bad thing. By trying to fill this silence you interrupt their train of thought, which makes it harder for them to make a decision. 

To avoid this, get in the habit of giving your prospects a couple of seconds to think things through before speaking again.

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6. Don’t Act Like You Know Everything

We mentioned earlier that to be a good salesperson, you need to be an expert in your product. But even experts don’t know everything. 

For instance, you might not be aware of the challenges your prospect goes through in their business lives. And you shouldn’t act like you do.

Instead of pretending to know everything, accept that there are some things you might not know. Don’t be afraid to ask your prospect questions that help you fill in these knowledge gaps.

7. Always Be Honest

Many salespeople don’t care if they lie to prospects. If that’s what it takes to get the sale, they are prepared to do it. While lying might get you the sale, it will end up ruining your reputation in the long run and make it harder for you to close deals in the future.

Honesty is always the best policy.

To become a successful and reputable salesperson, you need to resist the urge to lie. If you don’t know something, let them know that you’ll find the information they want and get back to them in a timely manner. 

If you feel that your product is not the right fit for your prospect, be honest and let them know.

8. Pay Full Attention

Good communicators know how to give their full attention to whoever they are speaking with. Whenever you are speaking to clients, discard everything else from your mind. Be present and focus only on the current conversation.

If you are distracted during conversations with prospects, they will catch this. This can make them feel like you don’t really care about them and their needs, which will make it harder for you to convert them.

9. Be Genuinely Curious

To be a great salesperson, you have to be curious. 

Asking questions is the key to sales. Before you start telling your prospect about your product, take some time to ask them about their business, the challenges they are going through, and the kind of solution they are looking for. 

Asking questions is especially important during discovery calls. By asking questions, you will be in a better place to solve your client’s problems.

10. Master The Tone Of Your Voice

How you speak to prospects is just as important as what you’re saying. Good salespeople know how to match their tone to each unique prospect.

For instance, if you are speaking to a prospect who speaks casually, you could adopt a conversational tone. Similarly, if your prospect is a serious person, you should speak in a formal manner. 

Your tone also determines how confident you appear. Adopt a tone that makes you seem confident. Speak a little slower, avoid speaking in a low pitch, and avoid making your statements appear as questions through intonation.

Wrapping Up

To be a successful salesperson, you have to be a great communicator. Luckily, communication skills are something that anyone can learn. 

Now you’re armed with 10 critical communication skills that you should master if you want to be successful in sales. Once you start developing these skills, watch your sales career soar!

Author Bio:

Shaheryar provides ghostwriting and copywriting services. His educational background in the technical field and business studies helps him in tackling topics ranging from career and business productivity to web development and digital marketing. He occasionally writes articles for Carpet Cleaning London.