Sales Training: Salesmanship and Empathy

Sales Training: Salesmanship and Empathy is the title of the front page of this web site which is begging the question of the relationship between salesmanship and empathy.

Is it the salesman's job to create empathy [and being empathetic of what?] with the prospect and how is that accomplished?

Also, is empathy necessary to make a sale?

Hello Mitch. Thank you for taking an interest in the article. I'd be happy to address your questions.

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Originally Posted by MitchM

Is it the salesman's job to create empathy...

As I see it, the burden of communication is on the salesperson.

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Originally Posted by MitchM

...[and being empathetic of what?]...

As I see it, the salesperson would want to be empathetic to the customers situation, feelings, motives, etc.

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Originally Posted by MitchM

...and how is that accomplished?

As I see it, this can be accomplished by taking a sincere interest in the other person and listening with the intent to understand.

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Originally Posted by MitchM

Also, is empathy necessary to make a sale?

As I see it, empathy isn't a "necessity" but neither is qualifying a prospect.

I hope you find value in the article and the responses.

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Originally Posted by Jeff Blackwell

..with the intent to understand.

Jeff's five words are the most powerful I have ever seen posted on this forum.

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Originally Posted by Gary Boye

Jeff's five words are the most powerful I have ever seen posted on this forum.

Thank you for your kind words Gary.

"As I see it, the salesperson would want to be empathetic to the customers situation, feelings, motives, etc." -- Jeff

Very few people can fake this empathy without the prospect knowing it and pulling in the other direction. When the salesman shoots back with an immediate response that is canned or otherwise not related to what the prospect has said, empathy is impossible to create.

Also, while empathy includes rapport, rapport and empathy are not the same necessarily. Empathy is an enhanced variation of understanding.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MitchM

Very few people can fake this empathy without the prospect knowing it and pulling in the other direction. When the salesman shoots back with an immediate response that is canned or otherwise not related to what the prospect has said, empathy is impossible to create.

Also, while empathy includes rapport, rapport and empathy are not the same necessarily. Empathy is an enhanced variation of understanding.

Hello Mitch.

Are you comments in reponse to the article or empathy in general?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Blackwell

Hello Mitch.

Are you comments in reponse to the article or empathy in general?

In general.

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Originally Posted by MitchM

In general.

Just checking.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MitchM

Sales Training:
....begging the question of the relationship between salesmanship and empathy.

Is it the salesman's job to create empathy [and being empathetic of what?] with the prospect and how is that accomplished?

Also, is empathy necessary to make a sale?

Empathy is the real stuff.

It is a forerunner to connecting as "trying" is to such things as influencing, persuading, and "building rapport".

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Boye

Empathy is the real stuff.

It is a forerunner to connecting as "trying" is to such things as influencing, persuading, and "building rapport".

I'm listening to Milt Jackson [vibes], John Lewis [piano], Percy Heath [bass] and Kenny Clarke [drums] - the original Modern Jazz quartet - in an emphatic 1955 recording including pieces from Delaunay, Gershwin, and Django Reinhardt [the flip side of my cassette is an ode to Django by Stephane Grappelli & a cast of fine players.

When you follow your Muse empathy happens with the right persons who ultimately end up in a grove because there's something each can contribute to one another and it's usually very immediate and fulfilling - each compliments the other in ways that nothing else can do.

The best of sales and anything else is like that.

Sales Training: Salesmanship and Empathy

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