Excerpt from JUST LISTEN: Take It All the Way to ‘No’

The following is an excerpt from Chapter 22 of the book “JUST LISTEN: Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone” (Amacom, 2009) by Mark Goulston. The book outlines the effectiveness of various communication techniques and the science behind how the brain switches from “no” to “yes.”
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Take It All the Way to “No”

Benefit: Move a person rapidly through every phase of the Persuasion Cycle from resistance to “doing,” by creating agreement where none exists.

Life is a series of sales situations, and the answer is “no” if you don’t ask.

—PATRICIA FRIPP, EXECUTIVE SPEECH COACH

Walter Dunn was one of the top people at Coca-Cola for four decades. Dunn was responsible for getting Coke many major accounts, including Disney and several professional sports organizations.

Walter told me how years ago he tried to get Coke into one of the main movie theater chains. After speaking with the theater representative for a while, he got this response: “Sorry, Walter, the answer is ‘No.’ We’ve decided to go with Pepsi.”

Without missing a beat, Walter replied: “What question did I fail to ask, or what problem did I fail to address, that—if I had— would have caused you to give me a different answer?” Read more

Now What Do I Say? How to Handle Customer Objections

By Erica Christoffer

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Handling objections is all part of the job. Authors Donna Fleetwood, Christy Crouch and Scott Friedman wrote Now What Do I Say? Never Be At a Loss for Words Again (BookSurge Publishing, 2008) to help real estate pros handle any objection that comes their way. Using communication methods derived from neuro-linguistic programming, which considers the impact language has on people and their behavior, the authors offer more than 425 answers to more than 70 common real estate questions and objections. Written in dialogue style, the book can serve as a quick reference, recited aloud, or used in role playing. BUY THE BOOK

FROM THE BOOK: 5 WAYS TO HANDLE CUSTOMER OBJECTIONS

1. There’s more than one right way. Different personalities call for different approaches to an objection. A single answer may suit one client, while turning another off. That’s why the authors offer multiple approaches to every potential objection listed in “Now What Do I Say?”

For example, you might respond to a client who complains that they have not received an offer on their home with the following remark (if the client does well with direct answers): “Exactly! This means they think it’s so overpriced they won’t even waste their time with an offer. So, do you want buyers to make offers, or move on?”

Or, you could use an approach that is suggestive, but solicits more client input: “You’re right! Now, imagine you were at an auction house and the whole audience was silent. No one was bidding on the item for sale at all. The auctioneer would either have to lower the price on the item, or risk not selling it. Which do you want to do?”

2. Practice makes perfect. Take the time to practice objection handlers aloud. Read from the dialogue in the book to yourself or role-play with co-workers. Practice helps boost confidence and alleviates nerves. Since objections are a natural part of the job, practicing how to handle them only makes sense. Read more

Author Chat: Michael Gurian on Leadership and the Sexes

By Melissa Dittmann Tracey

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out our book review on Leadership and the Sexes. The Weekly Book Scan talked with the book’s author and gender expert Michael Gurian to gain more insights into how the sexes communicate differently.

Do your findings on gender differences among leaders in the workplace apply to other relationships too—such as real estate professionals’ relationships with their customers?

GURIAN: This book is for any male and female interaction at any level. When we looked at the companies that provided quantitative data to us for the book, they were using it at all different levels. It’s not just training CEOs, but they are training everybody to understand the gender differences. There is an immersion in the culture that transfers to a real estate office or even just a single practitioner to get training in it. These are hard-wired gender differences, and understanding men and women better and getting the tools to improve your communication will make you more effective.

Is there a risk that these findings on gender differences can be used as stereotypes in the workplace?

GURIAN: There really needs to be some immersion in it. If the company or individual, does not immerse themselves in understanding it then they will be prone to stereotype. There’s so much popular information out there and you can scan an article and in two minutes and believe you understand men and women. That leads to stereotypes. Read more

Leadership and the Sexes: 5 Ways Men and Women Communicate Differently

By Melissa Dittmann Tracey

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Do you have a female client who’s exceptionally chatty? Or a male client who zones out sometimes? It might be their gender that’s to blame. Men and women have different communication styles that often clash in the business world, according to Michael Gurian and Barbara Annis, authors of Leadership and the Sexes (Jossey-Bass, 2008). The authors set out to move beyond gender stereotypes and point to brain imaging studies that can offer you insight into how you can better communicate, lead, and negotiate with people of the opposite sex, so that gender communication blunders never cost you a deal. BUY THE BOOK

FROM THE BOOK: 5 WAYS MEN AND WOMEN COMMUNICATE DIFFERENTLY

At times, men and women may seem like they really are communicating from two different planets. Why is that? Blood flows differently to varying parts of the brain in males and females, making each gender better at processing certain types of information. The book outlines several of these differences and offers tips to account for these differences and deter misunderstandings.

Here are five differences presented in the book.

1. Women’s brains are always “on.” Females might appreciate this: “There is more neural activity in the female brain at any given time than in the male brain, as evidenced by 15 to 20 percent more blood flow, with more brain centers ‘lit up’ in a scan of a female brain than in one of a male brain,” according to the book. The female brain tends to be more constantly active, while the male brain is prone to “zoning out” or “blanking out” during conversations. To avoid a zone out, men might unconsciously start an activity, such as tapping their pencils, gazing out the window, or swiveling in a chair. Read more

Author Chat: Curt Fletcher

By Melissa Dittmann Tracey

Curt Fletcher, author of How to Sell More Homes and Increase Your Income (AuthorHouse, 2007), responds to your questions about generating more business.

What should you do if you’ve been working with clients for a few months and every time it gets close to a final sale, they have an excuse? Do you have any advice for preventing clients from stringing you along and not making a move?

FLETCHER: This is a very good question and also a common occurrence. The first thing you should do is ask them for a commitment or closing question. When you receive the excuse or objection, determine if the objection is a real issue or simply a request for more information.

To do this, I would use a simple questioning technique like this:

• Cushion the objection.

• Clarify the objection (This is a must before responding).

• Question (Make sure you know the proper objection).

• Respond.

• Confirm (Confirm that your solution works … do not assume it does).

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How to Sell More Homes and Increase Your Income

By Melissa Dittmann Tracey

QUICK SKIM

Could your sales use a jump-start? The new book How to Sell More Homes and Increase Your Income (AuthorHouse, 2007) sets out to help you land in the world of top producers. Curt Fletcher’s book offers a quick read, touching on the techniques that will help you ramp up more sales and improve your relationships with clients. Each chapter ends with a summary of useful tips, everything from marketing strategies to overcoming objections to adjusting your attitude. Bottom line: Generating more sales comes down to better communication and time management.

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FROM THE BOOK: 5 WAYS TO SELL MORE HOMES

Fletcher’s book breaks down word-by-word, literally, how to increase your sales. He includes a list of sales words you shouldn’t use with clients – such as “monthly payment” or “buy” – and the alternatives that have more impact, like “monthly investment” and “own/acquire.”

Here are some other tips from the book:

1. Sell yourself. People don’t just purchase products you sell, they buy you. To get that to happen, you must earn their respect so they value your judgment and guidance. Build rapport and common ground, even before the sales presentation. Talk about their children, sports, hobbies, etc. — remember, people like to talk about themselves. Be conversational and welcoming, and be seen. “The more people who see your face or hear your voice, the more they will soon get to know you,” Fletcher says. Then, they trust you, buy from you, and start referring you.

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