Are you a field salesperson looking to improve your communication skills? Knowing what to say is important during a sales meeting, but on top of this you also need to consider how you say it.  

To truly improve your sales communication skills, you need to master both verbal and nonverbal communication techniques.

But here's the thing: it's not just about using sales tricks and techniques to persuade customers. It's about shifting your mindset to focus on how you can help the person you're speaking with. 

If you're ready to go beyond surface-level sales techniques and create a mutual understanding with your customers, read on to find out how you can start mastering sales communication.

To become a master in sales communication, you need to understand how to approach social situations while at the same time being a smooth talker. 

There are 6 elements of effective sales communication: assertiveness, authenticity, open mindedness, empathy, clarity, and listening.

If you want to be more assertive in sales conversations, there are a few tips you can follow. First, be clear about what you want. 

Before you enter a sales conversation, take some time to think about what you want to achieve. What is the purpose of your conversation? What do you hope to accomplish, and what is your desired outcome? Once you know what you want, you can be more assertive in asking for it.

Second, be confident. Confidence is key when it comes to being assertive. If you do not believe in yourself, it will be difficult for others to believe in you and want to spend their hard-earned money with you. You need to be confident in your ability to execute your sales process well and understand the psychology of why buyers buy. 

Being authentic can go a long way in helping you build trust with customers. When your customer feels that you are genuine and trustworthy, they are more likely to believe what you say and be willing to work with you.

Additionally, authenticity can create a deeper connection with customers. When you share your values and beliefs, customers can relate to you on a personal level, which can help you build a stronger rapport with them. This connection can lead to increased customer loyalty, as they are more likely to become repeat customers when they feel that you care about them and their needs.

Authenticity can also differentiate you from competitors. By being true to yourself and communicating in an honest and genuine way, you can stand out against salespeople who are engaging in bad sales practices. This can ultimately lead to better sales performance and help you achieve your goals.

Listen to Shari Levitin’s Outside Sales Talk podcast episode to discover how you can sell with authenticity and build trust with anyone.

As a salesperson you will speak with many people from all walks of life, so don’t close your mind to other ways of thinking. If you only see your perspective, you build a wall between you and the prospect where effective communication becomes impossible.

Ask questions and make serious attempts to understand their point of view. Maybe their ideas don’t align with yours but, maybe they will. By being open to different ideas, eventually you will see what works best for you and perhaps most importantly, what works best for your prospects.

Remember, people want to communicate with someone who is open and wants to really listen to what they have to say.

The ability to understand and share feelings is what makes us human. People want and need to be understood. If the person you’re speaking to sees that you understand them, you can start to develop common ground. 

By being empathetic, you will be able to address your customers' problems in an honest and open manner. Customers don’t like being sold to. What they want is someone who understands their problems and can offer effective solutions.

Listen to Robin Treasure’s Outside Sales Talk podcast episode to discover how you can grow your sales with emotional intelligence.

Our intended message can often be confused or misunderstood. Customers can get flustered by an overload of jargon when all they want to know is how you can help them. Talking with them in a clear and calm manner will put them at ease, giving them the opportunity to really understand your message.

A conversation can't happen unless you pay attention to what the other person is saying. People want to feel that you hear them, so let them know you are listening. 

Be an active listener by being invested in the conversation - nod your head, make little comments to encourage the flow of the conversation, or ask engaging questions to show them you want to know more. This can show you are committed to helping solve whatever problem they may have.

With a tool like Badger Maps, you can log all customer interactions as soon as they take place, making it easy to keep track of valuable information. These notes will help you connect better with your customers by showing them that you've been paying attention to what they have said. 

Badger Maps streamlines the entire sales process and on average, sales teams who use Badger Maps sell 22% more and drive 20% less.

Badger Maps is a route optimization tool can help salespeople save precious time, getting them out of their cars and into more customer meetings where they can really make a difference! 

With other important sales features such as lead generation on-the-go, customer data visualization, follow-ups and check-ins, Badger Maps helps field salespeople save time on their daily planning, discover exciting new leads, maintain healthy customer relationships, and close more deals.

Badger Maps can also mobilize your CRM, giving you access to important customer information directly from the field. This enables you to sync and leverage data in your CRM, all from your mobile device.  

Not only that, you can easily set up reminders to check in and follow up with customers right in the app, this way you will never miss an opportunity simply because you forgot to contact a prospect.

Badger Maps can integrate with leading CRMs such as Salesforce,Zoho, HubSpot, Insightly, Microsoft Dynamics, NetSuite, and many more!

If you want a tool that will assist you in mastering your sales communication, look no further than Badger Maps.

Badger Maps reduces sales reps’ average drive time by 20% and frees up an average of 8 hours a week. 

Sign up for a free trial today or schedule a demo to see for yourself!

Salespeople talk too much. They focus more on what they say rather than how they say it. An average salesperson talks 81% of the time in a sales meeting. To avoid talking too much you should follow the 70/30 rule. This means that you should let the customer do 70% of the talking. 

By letting your customer take the lead, they will feel that they are in control of the conversation and be more open to a sale when you make them a proposition.

With the right body language, you can get your prospect to talk more. Whenever you go to a sales meeting, let the prospect open up and pay attention to their nonverbal communication. The first impression often makes or breaks the sale.

Remember, effective nonverbal communication is crucial to improving sales communication.  

Listen to Mark Bowden’s Outside Sales Talk podcast episode to discover how you can leverage body language for sales success.

To convey equality and respect during a handshake, keep both palms in a vertical position. When one person's palm faces downward, it means they have the upper hand and are taking control, while the upward-facing palm is submissive. Keeping both palms vertical sends the message that you are on equal ground. 

Your handshake should be strong and firm. Mirror your prospect’s grip and try to be the one who initiates the handshake. Handshakes are about pressure, too much indicates dominance or ignorance, too weak signals lack of confidence. Don’t forget to adjust the pressure to accommodate the other person.

Eye contact plays a significant role in good sales communication. By maintaining a consistent and natural level of eye contact with prospects and customers, you can put them at ease and develop stronger connections. 

But remember, too much can come across as intense and too little can be interpreted as insecure or uninterested. It’s important to keep a balance.

Always stand up straight and face your customer directly. If you’re sitting, lean slightly forward to show them you’re engaged. This can make you appear more confident and help to build trust. 

Avoid leaning back in your chair as you can come across as lazy or uninterested. Most importantly make sure to relax. If your customers see that you're tense or trying too hard, they will be put off and be more likely to have their guard up.

If your customer crosses their legs and sits back in their chair, you should try and do the same. Once you feel you have established some trust and rapport, try leading them into a more open and receptive posture by uncrossing your legs and leaning towards them. If your prospect follows your lead and begins to match your gestures, it's a good sign that you have successfully built some trust and rapport.

Pay attention to the overall flow of your prospect's body language, rather than just individual gestures taken out of context. There are two basic categories of body postures: open/closed and forward/back. An open posture indicates receptiveness; with unfolded arms, uncrossed legs, and exposed palms. A closed posture, on the other hand, indicates defensiveness or discomfort, with folded arms, crossed legs, and a turned-away body.

By implementing the following strategies, field salespeople can become more consistent in their performance, achieve their goals, and ultimately succeed with effective sales communication.

It's important to adopt certain practices and mindsets. One of the keys is to set clear goals that are specific and measurable. Breaking down larger goals into smaller, achievable ones can help you stay motivated and focused, while tracking your progress regularly can help you stay on course.

Another important aspect of achieving success in sales is to develop a routine that works for you. This can help you avoid distractions and stay focused on the tasks at hand. Scheduling your tasks, prioritizing them, and sticking to your routine as much as possible can help you stay on track and make progress towards your goals.

Consistent practice is also essential in maintaining a solid level of performance. Dedicate time every day to practice and hone your sales techniques, product knowledge, and communication skills. This can help you develop a deep understanding of your products and services, as well as your customers' needs and preferences.

Seeking feedback from customers, colleagues, and supervisors is another important step towards improving your sales performance. Being open to feedback can help you identify areas for improvement and make necessary adjustments.

Failure is a natural part of the learning process, and it can provide valuable lessons. Instead of dwelling on failures, reflect on them, identify the causes, and use the insights to improve your performance.

Above all else, stay motivated! Mastering sales communication can be frustrating, but by learning to ride the storm and stay the course, you can develop into a more well-rounded salesperson, hit your targets, and achieve all of your goals. 

Conclusion

Effective sales communication involves shifting the mindset from focusing on sales tricks to genuinely helping customers. To master sales communication, one must understand and implement the six key elements: with assertiveness you can close more deals and build better relationships with customers. Authenticity is crucial in building trust with customers, creating a deeper connection, and differentiating oneself from competitors. 

Open-mindedness is essential in understanding the customers' point of view, while empathy allows for  more meaningful connections. Clarity and active listening improve mutual understanding, and by talking less, salespeople can use nonverbal cues to enhance sales communication.  Ultimately, effective communication is crucial in achieving sales goals and building long-term customer relationships.