Are We Speaking The Customer's Language?

Posted by dabrock under Sales
From http://partnersinexcellenceblog.com 4377 days ago
Made Hot by: Monsieur Eraser on April 27, 2012 3:56 am

As sales people, we want to maximize our impact on the customer. We want to make sure our customers understand us and that we understand the customer. It's not the customer's job to speak our language---we have to speak the customer's language.

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Comments

Written by denisefay
4376 days ago

Hi Dave,

What a good article. I think in terms of speaking the same language, regardless of what industry you are in, you must first listen so that you can hear what the customer is saying and begin to use that language.

I do a lot of copywriting for clients as well as teach business writing and it's the first thing that I say - find out what language your reader wants to read. It's actually in the first chapter of my 31 days to write better copy book aswell. I think it's so important.

You're spot on about the credibility factor. Isn't it amazing how two words which describe the same concept can blow a person's credibility or at least dent it? This is what happens so SMEs or SMBs really need to understand that.

Loved your analogy at the beginning.

Thanks Dave for the article.

Take care,

Denise

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Written by bembridge
4376 days ago

Thanks for the article.

I think jargon being used as shorthand is a big part of the problem as you say, and also in many departments or professions has taken over and become a lazy way of communicating (like in marketing we talk about impactful display etc). If we all focused on ensuring our mother understands what we are saying when interacting - and the person's mother maybe that would help as a guideline! By that I mean make it specific, clear, simple and unambiguous - taking no previous knowledge as a given.

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Written by HeatherStone
4377 days ago

I can't say how many times that I, as a customer, have been alienated by language used by salespeople, chock full of jargon to make them sound like they know something. I think the best way to speak the customers' language is to make things simple and direct and mainly point out the value your product or service will provide them. I'm in IT, and the jargon is rife, so it's refreshing to hear a more direct approach, even between departments. Interesting post!

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