Sales techniques for communicators

As communicators, we have a lot to learn from sales people. After all we sell visions. We know that our aim is to shape what people think, feel and do. While we are not getting them to buy a product, we do want them to buy a concept and act accordingly.

The Daily Anchor, a marketing blog, has an interesting piece about Sales IQ – the presumed intelligence level of your audience. There’s a lesson to be learned here for communicators that are getting to know their audiences and what they can expect of them.

There are three approaches to sales IQ, according to the article.
1. You act as though your audience knows nothing, supply them with lots of information, but risk insulting their intelligence.
2. You act as though your audience knows something and pepper them with questions to determine what they know, potentially loosing their interest.
3. You act as though your audience is well informed, risking talking over their heads.

Communicators know that you need all three. You must use the first approach to make the basic information available to people who have no prior understanding. The second approach is needed when you work with focus groups to develop deeper understanding of the audience. And the third comes into play with your “mover and shakers”, the key people you have identified to help spread your messages throughout an organization.

/Aimée

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