THE ART OF LISTENING: A FISH STORY.

By Luther Gatling

Over the course of my career I've learned how important it is to listen and to not just listen but to show people you've heard them. This is especially true for LetterMatics, because the connection that you can establish with your customers can be so personal, powerful and intimate.

Good listening is about more than just hearing someone's words. You need to hear what motivates them; What issues are causing them discomfort; What people want from you to help resolve their situation.

This isn't always easy. A lot of salespeople are bright, energetic individuals who are so excited about their product that instead of listening to what the person is saying they're listening for opportunities to put their own point of view forward. The usual result is that the prospect doesn't feel they've been heard, so real and effective communication does not take place.

To listen well, you need to get your own thoughts, ideas and preconceptions out of the way and focus entirely on the person you're talking to, concentrating on how you can serve them and resolve their difficulties and anxieties. If you're trying to think ahead of them and planning your next comment, you've made your need to speak more important then their need for your service, so you won't communicate effectively.

How does this fit in a LetterMatics? It's simple.

More than any kind of conversation that takes place using the mail, LetterMatics involves a personal interaction. We found the system works best when the first line of any letter you write directly echoes the conversation you had with the person you are sending the letter to. Sometimes the echo can be a statement of fact, and that's fine because there are few business communications using the mail where a fact that was gathered the day before shows up in someone's mail back the next day.

But that's also not using LetterMatics to its best effectiveness. Communications are most effective when they involve emotion as well as information. If you touch someone's heart as well as their mind you have a far greater chance at getting the result you want.

Go to our web site at this link to see a great example of this. It's a business letter about fishing. I was talking with a prospective client, and it turned out that we both liked fishing. So I wrote a letter at the recalled some of my favorite childhood memories of fishing. The prospect said he read the letter or five times, and we got the sale.

Did I mention the business topic we discussed and the way we provide a solution for his issues? Of course. But the fact that I really listened to him made my LetterMatics communication all the more powerful and effective. So, when you're using LetterMatics listen carefully and you'll get the results that will be worth hearing about.