Keep it Simple: Communicating with Prospective Customers

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Keeping things simple can prove difficult when trying to communicate with a prospective customer – we want to dazzle them with facts and phrases but how much of it is dazzling rather than dizzying. Successful entrepreneur Richard Branson recently spoke about business jargon saying it slowed down progress, confused people and caused them to lose interest.

Knowing a person’s learning style can be invaluable when communicating – the University of Arkansas attributes three learning style and methods to help accommodate your customer’s needs.

type-of-learner

The Visual Learner
A visual learner requires a feast for the eyes when taking in information. Aesthetically inclined learners enjoy looking over things carefully and are often abstract thinkers. Visual learners are also great at reading people and making prompt decisions.

Your pitch should have more visuals than words
Give your customer something to look at; videos, info-graphs, live demonstrations you name it. Keep written notes to a minimum and think of how you can demonstrate what you’re talking about through visual actions.

The Auditory Learner
An auditory learner is listening to everything you say loud and clear – the ears are powerful listeners that work with the brain to absorb information quickly and effectively. Listeners often question what you have to say and think both logically and sequentially.

Find your best voice and focus on content
Provide verbal instructions and directions, phone calls can be a good avenue for business and be sure to discuss products freely and in-depth while your customer takes in the content.

The Kinesthetic Learner
Kinesthetic learners love to get up close and practical with concepts – if you can translate ideas into tangible examples you’re on the road to winning over this learner!  Kinesthetic learners can often be people who play contact sports and tend to touch a number of objects on inspection.

Keep things active and hands on
Pen and paper is your best friend, keep presentations creative with active exercises and product sampling opportunities. Allow your customer to fill out blank forms and be sure to hand them your business card and sales materials upon introducing yourself.

Work the room

Now I know what you’re thinking – what if I gave a room full of all these learners? Arkansas University has thought of this as well and put together a list of things to include in a large group presentation, here are the main points:

–          Use graphics, charts, pictures and PowerPoint presentations

–          Be concise and to the point

–          Include discussions and concepts to discuss in groups

–          Give out papers as you present , incorporate movements and put ideas on post it notes that can be moved around the room

And if in doubt about your next one-on-one or big group presentation, remember, keep it simple and look for the signs in communicating to your type of audience.

Sources:

http://hbr.org/2012/05/to-keep-your-customers-keep-it-simple/ar/1

http://www.uaex.edu/support-units/program-staff-development/program-evaluation/Identifying%20Different%20Learning%20Styles.pdf

http://mattstoner.net/presentations/effective_visuals.pdf

http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140319101448-204068115-why-you-should-do-away-with-jargon?trk=vsrp_people_res_infl_post

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