12 Jul Shut Up and Listen
Do you have someone in your life (maybe it’s you) who seems to talk and talk and talk? We all know at least one person like this. Some people may even consider me to be a constant talker. On a recent trip to a vintage shop, my girlfriend and I met the shop owner. It was an incredible shop with lots of cool things, but the owner talked us out of a purchase. Besides asking us our names, she spent 20 minutes just talking about herself. Not about the shop, not about what she had to sell, not even asking us a single question about what we were looking for or what we may want to buy.
By her focusing the conversation on herself and not being willing to listen, she lost out on a sale.
How often are you listening to your customers? To your team? To the people in your relationships?
As a business owner, if you are not soliciting your customers for feedback or trying to better understand what they want and how your company can provide it, then you could be missing out on revenue. But, more importantly, you could be missing out on a chance to establish a lasting relationship with your customers.
I went to a workshop with Tony Robbins and I noticed that in the span of a few hours, he had asked over 70 questions. He was seeking first to understand and listen to know how to approach the audience. I challenge you to do the same. Consider what areas of your business need some attention and start listening to your customers, maybe even asking your staff for their thoughts, ideas, and feedback.
The key to achieve business growth and operate at your peak performance will lie in your ability to think outside of yourself and leverage the resources and information around you.
Remember, talk less and listen more!
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