Want To Communicate Like A Pro? Open This:
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Want To Communicate Like A Pro? Open This:
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Communication skills are key to customer success.
But if you get it wrong, it can cause you big trouble.
Here's what usually happens when you lack these critical skills:
Your customers lose trust in you.
You waste your time and face costly mistakes because of misunderstandings.
Most of all, you damage your reputation as a highly effective customer success professional.
So it’s time to stop doing it wrong and start communicating like a pro:
Use the power of storytelling
Engage your customers by sharing how your products or services have helped others.
Use relatable stories to help customers see themselves in the situation.
Use emotions. Connect on a personal level where you see a great fit.
Share real-life examples. Make your story more relatable.
Listen Actively
Understand the customer, don't just wait to reply.
Show interest by keeping eye contact even on remote video calls.
Use positive body language to show that you’re listening.
Do not interrupt. Let your customer finish.
Repeat what the customer says to confirm your understanding.
Don’t make assumptions.
See my previous post to learn more about it:
Take notes to remember important details.
Focus on the customer's needs, not just your own.
Show Enthusiasm
Smile more often.
Use positive language to focus on solutions, not complaints.
Show genuine interest in your customer's business.
Express excitement about new products or features that can benefit your customers.
Celebrate your customers' successes to build stronger relationships.
Stay engaged and energetic during meetings and calls to keep the conversation flowing.
Keep it simple
Make complex topics easy to understand.
Read my previous post about the Feynman Technique on how to nail it:
Divide information into smaller pieces.
Use examples and analogies to illustrate your points.
Avoid using your company’s jargon that may confuse your audience.
Speak your customer’s language. Use their own words.
Add more visuals to make your presentations engaging.
Keep your sentences short and to the point in all your communications.
Insist on the most important information.
Summarize the key points, and finish with a strong call to action.
Build Trust
Be transparent, and share your progress and challenges.
Encourage customers to share their feedback and ideas.
Respond and offer helpful insights and resources.
Follow up as needed and stick to your commitments.
Take responsibility for mistakes or issues.
Request feedback to show your genuine interest, and take action on it.
Build Empathy
Understand your customers' needs and show them that you care.
Offer support and solutions to help others.
One of my top references for building empathy comes from the book by Chris Voss: Never Split The Difference. Check it out to learn how to:
Focus on your counterpart’s interests
Practice “mirroring”
Ask “calibrated questions”
Follow-up with “labeling”
Ask More Questions
Ask open-ended questions.
Focus on one topic and avoid asking too many questions at once.
Listen actively, show interest, and ask follow-up questions.
Use questions to identify ways you can provide more value.
Stay focused, and think ahead of your game.
And that’s it.
Your ultimate goal is to help grow your company’s business.
And for this, you must engage and inspire your customers to set the foundations solid and build stronger relationships over time.
And it all starts with great communication with your customers.
So take action, and start communicating like a pro today!
Come on, you’ve got this 🎯
I’ll speak to you again next week.
-Hakan.
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