Thinking and Communicating Part II
Author's Note: This is the second in a two part series. The first post is available here.
Occasionally, my 15-year old son asks me what he needs to learn in high school and college in order to be successful. Notwithstanding the possibility that he learned everything he needed to in Kindergarten, I tell him that the most successful people I know can do two things better than most: 1) Solve problems and 2) Communicate their ideas.
While the majority of my working career has been spent selling media, I've been observing workers in all kinds of industries and have come to the conclusion that my advice is useful regardless of the my son's choice of industry.
During a short gap between jobs, a friend of mine came to the rescue by offering me employment in his brother's Subway restaurant franchise. I came in for training an hour or so ahead of the lunch rush and Dean told me that on my first day I was going to be in the front of the sandwich making line. My critical function was to greet the customers and ask them what they would like to have.
"Typically, the customer will tell you the type of sandwich they want but they'll neglect to tell you which type of bread they would prefer," Dean said. "What I want you to ask them is if they would prefer 'our honey wheat or the italian white'".
Now, I had been a consumer of Subway sandwiches for years before getting the chance to go behind the counter and I had never once heard a sandwich maker ask me if I wanted 'honey wheat or italian white' bread. So, I asked Dean about the origination of his bread question.
"One day I was handling the cash register when it became apparent that the line was not moving, " Dean began, "So, I looked down to the front and noticed that a customer was looking at the sandwich maker with a bewildered expression. Just then I heard the sandwich maker say 'whideorwheat' and the customer say 'I still don't know what you are asking me'. I rushed down to the end as the employee once again said 'whideorwheat' to the customer - who was going from confused to annoyed."
"What did you do?" I asked.
"I grabbed a loaf of white and a loaf of wheat and I asked him, 'Sir, would you prefer your sandwich on fresh-baked honey wheat or italian white bread?' I gestured with the appropriate loaf while saying this. The customer smiled and said, 'Wheat, please' and a new policy was born."
Does it surprise you to learn that Dean was one of the most successful Subway franchisees in the Atlanta area?
We've all gone to doctors who seem to be missing our point or unable to communicate the reasons for their diagnosis. Not long ago, I went to the doctor because of a skin infection in my side. What looked like a bug bite had become a nasty, red blob that hurt constantly. The pain was to the point that I could no longer sleep, so I went to the doctor. After I showed him the puss-filled circle of death on my torso he told me that he was going to write me a prescription for anti-biotics. I expressed some doubt about the effectiveness of anti-biotics at this stage of the infection. He told me that if the swelling hadn't subsided within four days to come on back and he would recommend a surgeon in his building who could lance and drain the infection.
After another sleepless night, I went to the emergency room.
"What brings you in today?" the triage nurse asked.
"This!" I said as I raised my shirt.
"Oh my. We'll be lancing that today."
In every industry those who can solve problems and communicate their ideas will be highly valued.
In sales, we have to be able to convey our ideas effectively in writing and verbally. One-on-one and in front of a group. Personally and over the phone. This makes the ability to communicate one of the most important skills in determining your success. Let me share a couple of tips to becoming a better communicator:
One on One
1) Have a complete understanding of the content of your materials - Most of us use prepared materials in the course of our sales career. Make sure you know what every picture is trying to convey - what every technical term means - and the answers to the ten most common questions your material seems to incite.
2) Wear clothing that doesn't distract - You want your prospect to be looking at your face - not the clown shoes you thought would be cute.
In Front of a Group
1) Use bullet points instead of sentences in your materials - The audience will be listening to what you say so they don't need complete sentences or paragraphs. Plus, the bullets will be enough in your leave-behind materials for them to recall the point you were making about each idea.
2) Practice, practice, practice - Holding the attention of a group is difficult. Don't add to the challenge by stumbling through your presentation.
On the Phone
1) Write down the key points of your voicemail messages - Are you about to leave a voicemail to a key decision maker? Write it down and say it a couple of times. Call a co-worker and leave the voicemail on her machine and then listen to it together. Will the person receiving this message understand the value in calling you back?
2) Be prepared and eliminate distractions - If your prospect actually answers the phone you'll want to have all the necessary information about his account at your fingertips. Get the rest of the stuff off your desk, turn off your cell phone, close your door if you have one and treat the phone call as you would a face-to-face meeting
Via E-mail
1) Save your e-mail as a draft and review it an hour after writing it - E-mails written in haste and then sent without the benefit of hindsight often don't communicate our ideas, tone or intent very effectively. However, if you'll let an e-mail sit for a while and then go back and read it as if you are the recipient you'll probably make some changes. Send the e-mail to your boss for her take on it. Or, do what I do and send it to your spouse. Is there anyone less afraid of telling you the way things really are?
2) Don't be funny - Unless you are Kurt Vonnegut or Dave Barry, you will probably fail at writing humorous content. Better to save your wit for a face-to-face presentation when your prospect can interpret your tone and body language in the manner you intend.
Most of all - say what you mean and listen carefully for clues that the people with whom you are communicating understand you. Capiche?
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Occasionally, my 15-year old son asks me what he needs to learn in high school and college in order to be successful. Notwithstanding the possibility that he learned everything he needed to in Kindergarten, I tell him that the most successful people I know can do two things better than most: 1) Solve problems and 2) Communicate their ideas.
While the majority of my working career has been spent selling media, I've been observing workers in all kinds of industries and have come to the conclusion that my advice is useful regardless of the my son's choice of industry.
During a short gap between jobs, a friend of mine came to the rescue by offering me employment in his brother's Subway restaurant franchise. I came in for training an hour or so ahead of the lunch rush and Dean told me that on my first day I was going to be in the front of the sandwich making line. My critical function was to greet the customers and ask them what they would like to have.
"Typically, the customer will tell you the type of sandwich they want but they'll neglect to tell you which type of bread they would prefer," Dean said. "What I want you to ask them is if they would prefer 'our honey wheat or the italian white'".
Now, I had been a consumer of Subway sandwiches for years before getting the chance to go behind the counter and I had never once heard a sandwich maker ask me if I wanted 'honey wheat or italian white' bread. So, I asked Dean about the origination of his bread question.
"One day I was handling the cash register when it became apparent that the line was not moving, " Dean began, "So, I looked down to the front and noticed that a customer was looking at the sandwich maker with a bewildered expression. Just then I heard the sandwich maker say 'whideorwheat' and the customer say 'I still don't know what you are asking me'. I rushed down to the end as the employee once again said 'whideorwheat' to the customer - who was going from confused to annoyed."
"What did you do?" I asked.
"I grabbed a loaf of white and a loaf of wheat and I asked him, 'Sir, would you prefer your sandwich on fresh-baked honey wheat or italian white bread?' I gestured with the appropriate loaf while saying this. The customer smiled and said, 'Wheat, please' and a new policy was born."
Does it surprise you to learn that Dean was one of the most successful Subway franchisees in the Atlanta area?
We've all gone to doctors who seem to be missing our point or unable to communicate the reasons for their diagnosis. Not long ago, I went to the doctor because of a skin infection in my side. What looked like a bug bite had become a nasty, red blob that hurt constantly. The pain was to the point that I could no longer sleep, so I went to the doctor. After I showed him the puss-filled circle of death on my torso he told me that he was going to write me a prescription for anti-biotics. I expressed some doubt about the effectiveness of anti-biotics at this stage of the infection. He told me that if the swelling hadn't subsided within four days to come on back and he would recommend a surgeon in his building who could lance and drain the infection.
After another sleepless night, I went to the emergency room.
"What brings you in today?" the triage nurse asked.
"This!" I said as I raised my shirt.
"Oh my. We'll be lancing that today."
In every industry those who can solve problems and communicate their ideas will be highly valued.
In sales, we have to be able to convey our ideas effectively in writing and verbally. One-on-one and in front of a group. Personally and over the phone. This makes the ability to communicate one of the most important skills in determining your success. Let me share a couple of tips to becoming a better communicator:
One on One
1) Have a complete understanding of the content of your materials - Most of us use prepared materials in the course of our sales career. Make sure you know what every picture is trying to convey - what every technical term means - and the answers to the ten most common questions your material seems to incite.
2) Wear clothing that doesn't distract - You want your prospect to be looking at your face - not the clown shoes you thought would be cute.
In Front of a Group
1) Use bullet points instead of sentences in your materials - The audience will be listening to what you say so they don't need complete sentences or paragraphs. Plus, the bullets will be enough in your leave-behind materials for them to recall the point you were making about each idea.
2) Practice, practice, practice - Holding the attention of a group is difficult. Don't add to the challenge by stumbling through your presentation.
On the Phone
1) Write down the key points of your voicemail messages - Are you about to leave a voicemail to a key decision maker? Write it down and say it a couple of times. Call a co-worker and leave the voicemail on her machine and then listen to it together. Will the person receiving this message understand the value in calling you back?
2) Be prepared and eliminate distractions - If your prospect actually answers the phone you'll want to have all the necessary information about his account at your fingertips. Get the rest of the stuff off your desk, turn off your cell phone, close your door if you have one and treat the phone call as you would a face-to-face meeting
Via E-mail
1) Save your e-mail as a draft and review it an hour after writing it - E-mails written in haste and then sent without the benefit of hindsight often don't communicate our ideas, tone or intent very effectively. However, if you'll let an e-mail sit for a while and then go back and read it as if you are the recipient you'll probably make some changes. Send the e-mail to your boss for her take on it. Or, do what I do and send it to your spouse. Is there anyone less afraid of telling you the way things really are?
2) Don't be funny - Unless you are Kurt Vonnegut or Dave Barry, you will probably fail at writing humorous content. Better to save your wit for a face-to-face presentation when your prospect can interpret your tone and body language in the manner you intend.
Most of all - say what you mean and listen carefully for clues that the people with whom you are communicating understand you. Capiche?
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