HOLY ANGEL UNIVERSITY

HOLY ANGEL UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND ACCOUNTACY
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In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the subject

PROFSALESMAN – Professional Salesmanship

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Discuss the four sequential steps for effective active listening and cite examples of how to
implement it.

The steps included in improving the effectiveness of active listening are sensing, interpreting,
evaluating, and responding.
The first phase of The SIER Hierarchy of Active Listening is known as sensing, which
involves the use of one's bodily senses to receive the information being transmitted. Sensing entails
the need to actively perceive auditory information from the speaker and accurately interpret the
non-verbal cues conveyed by their body language. An individual should know verbal and nonverbal
components during a conversation. Listening to the tone of voice and observing other non-verbal
cues can increase communication awareness, giving the speaker maximum convenience. Directing
one's attention and concentration towards this stage lies in the potential to gather significant
information. Various strategies can be employed to facilitate the implementation of sensing. For
example, an individual can enhance their sensory abilities through regular practice. Utilizing eye
contact, open body language, demonstrating caring and responsive behavior, and incorporating
strategic pauses within discussion are effective techniques for successful speech delivery. These
practices enhance the conveyance of information and foster a sense of sensible conversation.
Next, the second phase of the SIER Hierarchy of Active Listening involves interpreting the
information that the person perceived during Stage 1. The process of interpretation involves
determining the intended meaning of the sender. In what context is the talk occurring? What are the
prevailing patterns of behavior? What are the guidelines or norms governing communication
practices within the cultural context in which you are operating? Both the substance and the
surrounding circumstances are crucial. In addition to the semantic meaning of the words and
symbols, we must consider the sender's experiences, knowledge, and attitudes to understand what
was meant entirely. It's crucial at this stage to align their thoughts with the person they are
communicating with. It's also significant for sales representatives to let the customer who is
speaking finish their message before starting to interpret it. Regarding the interpretation method's
implementation, salespersons should always be patient in actively listening to their customers. That
solidifies the interpretation, acknowledging new information in the remainder of the conversation.
In this stage, an individual's goal is to ensure that their understanding of the messages aligns with
the sender's meaning. For instance, it is vital at this stage to align the salesperson's thoughts with

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the person they are communicating with. The recipient is prompted to analyze not just the content
of the spoken communication but also the underlying emotions and nonverbal cues. Another way to
implement interpreting methods may be achieved by deliberately emphasizing comprehending and
considering the broader social and political environment in which one operates and by cultivating
familiarity with the individuals with whom communication occurs.
The third phase of the SIER Hierarchy of Active Listening entails the evaluation of the
signals that have been received and understood. Sales professionals must recognize the importance
of refraining from making opinions on the material being conveyed until the individual they are
engaging with has concluded their message. Evaluation can be implemented by organizing the
interpreted information, focusing on practicing, and mindfully searching for areas of interest in
communication instead of areas of disagreement. Conversations often arise when an individual
chooses to express disagreement with a statement by examining its content. Participants in the
discourse either disengage from the remaining portion of the talk or redirect their focus toward
discussing the topic in question.
The last phase in the SIER Hierarchy of Active Listening is responding to the signals that
have been perceived, understood, and assessed. At this juncture, the sales representative should
possess a comprehensive understanding of the intended message sent by the individual with whom
they have been engaging in communication. The salesman is now required to provide a response to
the individuals as mentioned earlier. The participants' reactions will include both verbal and non-
verbal modes of communication. It's important to remember that their contacts back to them at this
stage have multiple purposes. There are various ways in which responding can be implemented. A
sales professional, for example, should highlight their comprehension to the consumer and promote
their conversation. The salesman should answer by moving the discussion ahead, demonstrating
that they have comprehended and interpreted what they have said, and presenting a connection with
the emotional subtext of what they have expressed. With practice, it is possible to improve one's
response time. In this stage, questioning is an effective tactic, as is repeating what the recipient
heard in the same language as the person with whom they are speaking. Throughout their customer
encounters, salespeople may also search for opportunities to physically mimic them, nod, and give
vocal affirmations (e.g., "yes," "ok," "I see").

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1. Explain the primary types of questions and how they are applied in selling?

The first fundamental question is the Amount of Information and Level of Specificity
Desired, which are divided into open-ended and close-ended questions. A typical open-ended
inquiry elicits descriptive information to help the salesperson better comprehend the customer's
wants and expectations.
Open-ended questions are used to provide consumers the flexibility to express
themselves, and they are encouraged to contribute information about their degree of satisfaction
with the product/service. On close-ended inquiries, however, it acts as a means of clarifying or
restricting the customer's answer to one or two words. In terms of the amount and specificity of
information desired questions, the application of open-ended questions on sales can be
demonstrated by establishing a healthy dialogue while gently encouraging the customer to share
information and uncover their pain points, beginning the questions with "what, how, where, when,
tell, describe, and why."
Close-end questions, on the other hand, may be used if the starting point is in the form of
clarification or developing a diagnosis. For instance, the sales representative can ask questions like
"Do you like what you're seeing in our product?" Are you..., how many..., how often..., and are you
pleased..." which can reveal demands that consumers may not yet recognize as an issue. Lastly, the
Dichotomous questions are directive kinds of inquiry in which the customer is asked to choose one
of two or more options. These questions are intended to determine buyer preferences and advance
the selling process. This may be used in sales when sales reps must distinguish between two
products. For example, "Why do you prefer this shoe over this shoe?" "What makes this one better
than the other?" These are some instances that might assist salespeople in understanding consumer
impressions of their product.
The questions grouped by strategic objective are the other significant kinds. These queries
are classified into four types: probing, evaluative, tactical, and reactionary.
Sales probing questions are quite helpful in moving prospective customers into more
collaboration with the salesperson. Probing questions helps them learn about their opportunity and
adjust the salesperson's negotiating strategy to maximize effectiveness. They're excellent at
enhancing questioning experience and efficacy. Its application in sales might be as simple as asking

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for clarification or promoting elaboration. Questions like, "Can you please tell me more about the
current situation/problem?" Can you tell me more about the current situation/problem?" and "That
is interesting, could you tell me more?" are some examples that need clarification or elaboration
from a client to identify difficulties and provide advice for decision-making.
On the other hand, evaluative questions are used to determine preferences, acquire
confirmation, and grasp existing sentiments about present and prospective occurrences. Questions
like "What changes would you recommend and why?" "What do you think about the innovation
that is implemented on our product?" and "How do you feel about the price of our product?" can be
applied when the sales representative aims to uncover the prospect's perceptions towards the
existing circumstances and through potential solutions.
Tactical questions, on the other hand, redirect the subject of conversation when a line of
inquiry shows to be of little interest or value. Questions such as "Earlier you mentioned that" and
"Could you tell me more about how that might affect you" can provide convenience to the
conversation and use strategic questions to replace more nonproductive questions.
Finally, reactive questions usually respond to previous information provided by the other
party and ask for additional details about the information, as previously mentioned. Salespeople
utilize reactive questions to extract further information on the client's facts, attitudes, or sentiments.
Its use in sales may be accomplished by informing the salesperson about the customer's ongoing
impression of the product/service. A sales representative can apply these to selling by asking, "You
mentioned that... can you give me an example of what you have just said?" "That's intriguing, can
you explain what happened?"