Development for Relationship Savvy
for the Sell Success Profile

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Tips

Listen to others with an open mind. Harness the power of brainstorming by remaining uncritical and building on others' ideas.

Build dialogues with others by asking lots of open-ended questions-the kind of questions that cannot be answered by a one- or two-word response. For example, the closed-ended question "Are you satisfied with our service?" can be changed to the open-ended question "What could we be doing that would make our service even better?" Prepare a list of generic open-ended questions you can draw from if you have a mental block during your conversations.

Use the technology you have available at your desktop to build rapport with customers. When people mention events that are going on in their lives, make notes you can refer to the next time you pull up their information. For example, "Jane is going to Fiji in June" or "Ralph's daughter is getting married on 9/15" or "Ruby was promoted to regional manager on 4/2."

Learn the difference between telling and selling. Telling is all about talking, while selling primarily involves listening. Have a colleague or manager observe you periodically during sales meetings to see whether you tend to tell or sell to customers. Strive for listening 70% of the time.

Send special occasion cards to customers on their birthdays and holidays. Consider choosing some unusual days such as Thanksgiving or the first day of Spring so that your card stands out and makes an impression.

Periodically videotape yourself during sales presentations and watch the tape to see what you would like to change. Pay attention to your style, gestures, tone, posture, and facial expressions as well as your words. Ask a few people whose public speaking ability you respect to watch the tapes and give you feedback and suggestions on your delivery.

Make a point of being approachable so that others will feel welcome to communicate with you. For example, you can increase your approachability by making people feel welcome to come in your office when your door is open, by greeting people and asking them about their lives, and by freely sharing information that others on your team would benefit by knowing.

Watch for articles in Wells Fargo newsletters and local papers regarding recognition that any of your internal or external customers receive. Make sure to contact them to extend your congratulations.

Be continually aware of how you come across to other people. Periodically ask several individuals whose opinions you respect to give you feedback on how they perceive you in workplace situations. Do they see you as being relationship savvy? Are you respectful of others' opinions? Do you listen well? Do you try to understand differing perspectives? Do you foster a cooperative and trusting team environment?

Be aware of any preconceived ideas you may have about others that are based on hearsay, gossip, or assumptions. Give each person the opportunity to present him/herself with a clean slate, free of biases and prejudices. Make up your own mind about people rather than letting others dictate your thoughts for you.

Get to know the people you depend on for help and support. Learn their names, show interest in their lives, and demonstrate your appreciation when they go out of their way by expressing sincere thanks, sending notes, or delivering small treats to their offices.

If you travel throughout the country visiting customers, watch out for the perception of being a "seasonal visitor." For example, customers in the southern states will notice if you only call on them during January. Customers want to feel that you are visiting them because you care about their business as opposed to their weather or local activities!

When you're interacting with someone, be willing to adapt your style to help make him/her feel more comfortable. You can often put others at ease by mirroring their energy levels, body language, and degree of formality.

Remember to continually put yourself in the shoes of the other person with whom you're interacting. Ask yourself what the person wants out of the situation and how you think he/she would like to be treated. Take a step back and approach the interaction with those thoughts in mind.

Avoid interrupting other people. Even though something important may pop into your mind, force yourself to wait until the other person is finished speaking before saying it.

Be careful not to talk down to customers and others when you are imparting information. Avoid phrases such as "You probably don't know that…" or "I'm sure you didn't understand that…" Instead, begin with "Something else to consider is…" or "You may already know that…"

Show respect for the abilities of all your team members, even those people who are significantly less experienced than you. Being an "unapproachable expert" doesn't help your team succeed. Instead, help to educate and encourage others on your team. Customers will be better served and you'll earn the reputation of being a supportive and generous team member.

If you are accountable for a far-reaching territory, know that there is a common customer perception that your out-of-state customers will not get as much attention as your local customers. As a result, you'll want to be constantly on the lookout for ways to help far away customers feel like you are right around the corner. Be especially conscientious about contacting them frequently, returning correspondence, and being available to them.

Make a study of nonverbal communication by closely observing the body language of others who are engaged in meetings or conversation. Watch for facial expressions, eye movements, body posture, and gestures. Which do you perceive as positive and encouraging? Which imply negativity or disinterest? Listen with your eyes as well as your ears and be aware of these same signals in your own listeners.

It is much easier to work effectively with good acquaintances than with strangers. Consider which people in other work units you interact with on a regular basis but whom you do not know very well. Choose one person every other week to get to know personally. If it is feasible, meet for coffee or lunch. If you are in a remote location, you may have to make contact via the phone. Make an effort to maintain the relationships so that you are comfortable and at ease when you need to work with these people.