Your valid business reason was rock solid, you’ve done your research, and you’ve secured an appointment for a needs analysis. But a few jargon-laden sentences into the meeting, you see it:
The eyes.
Glaze.
Over.
You may have a wealth of knowledge to share, but before diving full-force into a discussion, make sure you and your prospect are speaking the same language.
The first step of the needs analysis is rapport – building a relationship with your prospect – and a key part of rapport is communication. That means speaking clearly, and avoiding abbreviations and jargon.
For example, design is my passion. My color-coded library of design books includes subjects like Aesthetic-Usability Effect, Iconic Representation and Typography — but unless I’m talking to another designer, I stay away from using terms like these. That doesn’t mean I don’t talk about what these things are or what they can do, it just means I adjust my style of communication to fit my audience.
Peppering a meeting with jargon can be as confusing as trying to convey your point through interpretive dance. It just doesn’t make sense.
So when someone makes the time to listen to you, be sure you’re speaking in a way that they can truly HEAR you. This is a great way to build rapport in any relationship, and over time, create a serious fan club.
Megan Cook is a graphic designer at The Center for Sales Strategy.
