LISTENING -- THE KEY TO SETTING SALES APPOINTMENTS (March/April 2002 Issue)

When people ask "What are your services?" and "How much do you charge?" and "Can you do a resume for me?" they don't want the answers to those questions. Most people have no idea how to search for a job, how to select a job focus, what they're qualified for, how to network, what they're worth, etc., etc., etc. When they ask the questions I mentioned, they are grasping at straws. They're in pain and they hope you'll show them the way out -- but they would feel silly calling and saying... "I'm in career pain, can you cure me?"

When you get an inquiry the last thing you should consider doing on the call is describing your services. It's the easiest thing to do, I know, but it's the least effective. The prospect doesn't care what your services are...they want to know if you can cure their pain.

Let's say you called your physician and said, "Doctor, can you prescribe me an antibiotic?" And your doctor replied, "Wow, not only can I prescribe antibiotics, I can prescribe antihistamines, antacids, non inflammatory steroid drugs--and I don't stop there. I can do a tonsillectomy, hysterectomy, appendectomy, and if things are really bad, I can even do a prefrontal lobotomy. My nurses are the best in the world, and the last patient I dealt with had a rare form of lymphatic melanoma which I caught in time. We shot him full of chemotherapy and he's a cured man today. What else would you like to know about my services?"

Would you go to that doctor?

Of course not. He didn't take the time to listen to you! And that's what you wanted. You don't even know if antibiotics medication is the right choice -- you just think that if you're sick that's the correct thing to get.

Instead the doctor should say something. "Antibiotics? What makes you think you need antibiotics?" Answer. "Hmmm how long have you felt that way?" Answer. "Okay... Have you experience any trouble in the morning?" Answer. "Is there any pain in the abdomen?" Answer. "Would you describe it as a sharp stinging pain or more like a dull ache?" Answer. Etc., etc., etc.

That's your job when someone calls and asks about your career services. Believe me, they are in pain. They have been in pain for quite a while. You are not the first call they make…you're one of the last! So by the time they call you, you can consider that they're not calling from their living room, they're calling from the "Career Emergency Room."

If you ask about their pain, they'll tell you.

"Can you tell me about your services?" "Certainly! I'm in the business of solving career problems. Can you tell me who referred you to me?"

Follow on with probing questions.

Would you tell me a little bit about your situation? Hmmmmm. How long have you felt that way. What have you done about it? Has it worked? What else have you tried? Did that work? Hmmmm, it must feel somewhat frustrating is that right? What do you see as your biggest obstacle at this point? If I could wave a magic wand and change something for you, what would that be?

Keep probing and asking until you think the person knows you understand their predicament. Then do not promise to help them. If you think you can fix this spot they are in, they won't believe you. Remember they've been suffering with this for quite a while already, and they know it's more than a simple fix. Instead, say, "Well, I don't think I can fix everything in one meeting, but I think I could at least give you a good plan of action. So, I don't think I can do a cure, but I can write a prescription."

I usually invite them in for a low-cost Career Action Planning session. What I say is that I can really clarify their starting point: what they're doing right, what needs to change, and next steps, 1, 2, 3, etc., so they can handle the problem.

"But then what?" they ask, "what do your charge?" "Well, I won't know exactly what you need until after our meeting. Some people take those steps and want to do them on their own -- so that costs nothing. Others want help with some parts; others want help with it all. It all depends on what you need and what you want. Money has never been a problem."

The key to all this is listening. Listen deeply and probe for pain. When you find it, empathize with the person. Let them know you understand. Don't rush to a solution. Be with them, and offer them a little step, not the whole operation.

What's interesting is that they usually forget all about "What do you do," and "What does it cost?"

Jack Chapman is author of:
Negotiating Your Salary: How to Make $1000 a Minute
He is a career consultant in private practice and runs ongoing support and training teleconference sessions for career consultants in private practice.
He can be reached at 847-251-4727 or jkchapman@aol.com.