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© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
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CHAPTER 4
Using Communication Principles to
Build Relationships
Some questions answered in this chapter are:
 What are the basic elements in the communication process?
 Why are listening and questioning skills important?
 How can salespeople develop listening skills to collect
information about customers?
 How do people communicate without using words?
 What are some things to remember when communicating via
technology like phones and e-mail?
 How does a salesperson adjust for cultural differences?
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Two-Way Flow of Information
The sender
(seller) encodes
a message.
The receiver
(buyer) decodes
the message.
Who then becomes…
Who then becomes…
The receiver
(seller) then
decodes the
buyer’s message.
The sender
(buyer) who
encodes a reply
message.
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Sending Verbal Messages Effectively
• Words are tools
• Words have different meanings
in different cultures and
subcultures
• Word pictures
• Delivery of words
–
–
–
–
Pace
Volume
Inflection
Articulation
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Active Listening
80-20 listening rule
Salespeople should
listen 80 percent of
the time and talk no
more than 20 percent
of the time.
Speaking-listening
differential
People can speak at
a rate of only 120160 words per
minute, but they can
listen to more than
800 words per
minute.
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Active Listening (continued)
• Repeating information
• Restating or
rephrasing
information
• Clarifying information
• Summarizing the
conversation
• Tolerating silences
• Concentrating on the
ideas being
communicated
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Reading Nonverbal Messages
from Customers
•
•
•
•
•
Positive
Body angle
Face
Arms
Hands
Legs
Power and authority
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Underlying
tension
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Patterns of Nonverbal Reactions to
Presentation
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Body Language Patterns
• No single gesture or position defines a
specific emotion or attitude
• Consider the pattern of signals via a
number of channels
• Signals customers are hiding their true
feelings:
– Contradictions and verbal mistakes
– Differences in two parts of a conversation
– Contradictions between verbal and nonverbal
messages
– Certain nonverbal signals such as hesitation in
the voice, small shrugs, and so on
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Encouraging Forthright Discussion
• “Perhaps there is some reason you
cannot share the information with
me.”
• “Are you worried about how I might
react to what you are telling me?”
• “I have a sense that there is really
more to the story than you are telling
me. Let’s put the cards on the table
so we can put this issue to rest.”
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Sending Messages with Nonverbal
Communication
• Using body language
– Facial muscles
– Eye contact
– Hand movement and
hand shaking
– Posture and body
movements
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The Role of Space and
Physical Contact
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Appearance
• Consider the geography
– The temperature
– The local cultural norms
• Consider your customers
– Their appearance
– Their expectations of your appearance
• Consider your corporate culture
– Norms for your industry
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Appearance (continued)
• Consider your aspirations
– Top levels of your organization
– Dress above your position
• Consider your own personal style
– Wait until you have the halo effect
– Be reasonable
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Communicating via technology
• Face-to-face conversation
– 40 percent: words
– 10 percent: voice characteristics
– 50 percent: nonverbal communications
• Telephone
•
•
•
•
•
•
Practice
Prepare
Don’t be rushed
Smile as you talk
Active listening
Set objectives
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Comparison of Various Methods of
Salesperson Communications
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Technology Tips
• Immediacy does not equal intimacy.
• Learn how the customer likes to
communicate.
• Avoid “techno overkill.”
• Make the conversation meaningful.
• Customize your messages when using
technology.
• Use speed to impress customers.
• Don’t deliver bad news via email.
• Use proper etiquette when leaving voice
mail messages.
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Adjusting for Cultural Differences
• Salespeople need to recognize that
business practices differ around the world
• Terms have different meanings
• Time perception
Low-context
cultures
Most of the
information that flows
between buyer and
seller is in the
spoken words
themselves.
High-context
cultures
More information is
contained in factors
surrounding the
communication.
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Differences Between
High- and Low-Context Cultures
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Using English in International Selling
• Use common English words, e.g. stop
instead of cease.
• Use words that do not have multiple
meanings.
• Avoid American slang expressions.
• Use strict rules of grammar.
• Use action-specific verbs.
• Never use vulgar expressions, tell off-color
jokes, or make religious references.
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Summary
• The communication process consists of a sender, who
encodes information and transmits messages, and a
receiver, who decodes the messages.
• Effective communication requires a two-way flow of
information.
• When communicating verbally with customers,
salespeople must be careful to use words and
expressions their customers will understand.
• Listening is a valuable communication skill that enables
salespeople to adapt to various situations.
• About 50 percent of communication is nonverbal.
• Salespeople can use nonverbal communication to
convey information to customers.
• Two-way communication increases when salespeople
adjust their communication styles to the styles of their
customers.
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© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.