Real Conversations: The Secret Sauce to Generating Real Revenue.

"Without good communication, a relationship is merely a hollow vessel carrying you along on a frustrating journey fraught with the perils of confusion, projection, and misunderstanding."

Cherie Carter Scott

In reemphasizing the above quote, effective and meaningful communication is the foundation of any healthy relationship. 

It's not just about the exchanging of words; it's about truly understanding each other and expressing feelings, as you build harmonious relationships.

When communication breaks down, misunderstandings can arise. This soon leads to frustration which in turn could potentially damage the relationship. 

Like a ship without a compass, a relationship without good communication can easily drift off course, encountering various challenges along the way.

In thinking about your clients... How would you rate the conversation and communication you're having with them?

You see, without meaningful and rich conversations, where do you believe the relationship sits, really?

You never know when one conversation will lead to exponential sales growth.

The way you open conversations, carry on conversations and strengthen conversations has a direct impact on what happens next. 

The direction of those conversations along with the intentionality behind them; all will have a direct bearing on sales opportunities, referrals, cross-selling, relationship building and your prospecting success.

Whether it's initiating conversations with warmth and empathy, maintaining active listening throughout, or strategically guiding the conversation towards mutual understanding and value, every step matters.

This is all about fostering trust and meaningful connections.

The struggle for many is that you rely upon scripted questions which yield you scripted answers.

I believe real conversations require complete participation. It requires you to be present. Genuine or even meaningful conversations are invitations, an invitation to "what's really going on" unfolds during the conversation.

How do you achieve authentic, meaningful, genuine and real conversations with your clients? Quite simple, you let your guard down and stop acting like a salesperson.

Engaging in real conversations requires you to be in the moment.

To be fully engaged during a conversation you must be able to move from communicating to connecting.

Connecting requires intentionality and focus during conversations. 

What do you think you could discover about your clients with extreme focus during your conversations?

Things such as:

1. Goals, objectives, initiatives, and their vision.
2. Motivations and values.
3. Feedback and insights.

Allow your conversations to flow. Enter a realm of uncertainty and watch what starts to happen to genuine engagement.

How comfortable are you making your clients feel about you, so in return they become comfortable enough to start sharing their business secrets with you?

Some of the best conversations are organic, sometime a bit chaotic and not scripted.

Think about the conversations you're having with your clients and now ask yourself... 

Is there any substance behind my communication that's helping me to uncover more than I anticipated?

I encourage you to pay close attention to what excites your clients. Look at how their eyes light up and notice the emotion in their voice. 

Continue the conversation around the things that excite them and be willing to set aside the questions you had in mind. What you start to uncover is pure gold and relational betterment.

From the book, "Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection In A Sometimes Lonely World", by American physician and author, Dr. Vivek Murthy, he challenges us when it comes to conversations as he asks, 

“What was it about that conversation? Did I have a breakthrough moment where I let my guard down? Allowed myself to be vulnerable and was real with the other person? Or was it that they did that with me? And by being vulnerable they actually empowered me to be the same with them?”

Dang that's deep, isn't it?

Are you brave enough to start proactive conversations that matter? Are you and your clients having break through moments with your conversations?

ENGAGE IN PURPOSEFUL CONVERSATIONS

"All problems exist in the absence of a good conversation." 

Thomas Leonard

Purpose driven conversations are a catalyst to deeper connections, fresh ideas, and a better understanding of your client's world.

This is all about having the courage to move beyond small talk and explore the issues at deeper levels with your clients.

Purposeful conversation goes way beyond just understanding the exchange of ideas with your clients, this type of conversations circles in on why they exist.

Purpose driven and meaningful conversations with your clients allows them to be heard and understood. Trust soon starts to develop. And, trust is the currency inside your relationships. 

Purpose driven conversations:

Shows You Care — Dedicate the additional time to provide insights and creative ideas for your clients to help them grow their business.

Builds Trust — In a post-trust sales world, proactive conversation shows that you are invested in their business growth. Closely monitor your client's business and routinely engage with knowledgeable insights to help them cast vision about their business.

Prevents Future Issues — Make sure there are no surprises. Prevent your clients from "making a mountain out of a molehill". Purposeful conversations will help you gain a better understanding about your client's needs, wants and desires before they turn into issues.

REAL CONVERSATION CREATES REAL KNOWLEDGE 

The single best source of help are your clients. Engage with them. Ask them questions. Learn something new about them. 

All these new things you learn about them become conversation starters when it comes to prospecting for new conversations with future clients.

At this very moment in time, how many of you are aware of what's really going on inside your client's business? 

Sales professionals understand their clients, their business and their competitive landscape.

How can you improve the business lives of your clients? Quite simple, just ask them. Make it about them.

Getting to know your clients starts with purposeful, intentional and curiosity fueled conversations.

Intentionally listen to your clients and seek to understand.

It is about engaging in meaningful conversations driven by great questions.

It starts with triggers such as:

• Tell me more...
• In addition to that, what else?
• Imagine for a moment, what would happen if...
• I'm curious...

"Knowledge is like money: to be of value it must circulate, and in circulating it can increase in quantity and, hopefully, in value."

Louis L'Amour

REAL CONVERSATIONS: THE SECRET SAUCE

It takes curiosity, listening, initiation, presence, asking open ended questions, vulnerability to share, and to explore the realness inside of conversations.

Conversations bridge connection and strengthen relationships.

Why do real conversations with your client's matter?

• A real conversation is the lifeblood of relationships.
• A real conversation allows for you to articulate meaning.
• A real conversation inspires and influences.
• A real conversation is where we learn.
• A real conversation is the source for discovering new things.

Real conversations drive real revenue that in turns drives profitability.

I will leave you all with something to recite before interacting with your clients...

I will pay attention to my clients. I will listen, deeply and daringly. I will be present in all my conversations. I will give a rip.

This my friends becomes your secret sauce.

Originally published on Larry Levine's LinkedIn.