322 - How to Listen - With Chris Do

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Futur with Chris Do
Episode: 322 - How to Listen - With Chris Do
Release Date: January 8, 2025

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Introduction

In episode 322 of The Futur Podcast, hosted by Chris Do, the focus centers on the pivotal role of listening in the realms of sales, design, marketing, and business. Departing from the usual guest-driven format, this solo episode delves deeply into how intentional listening can transform professional interactions and drive success with minimal friction.

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The Power of Listening in Sales

Chris Do opens the conversation by challenging conventional sales tactics often glorified in pop culture and sales coaching programs. He posits that the traditional, agenda-driven approach to selling is counterproductive and can erode trust between parties.

Chris Do [00:30]: "If you're doing your job well in the sales process, it shouldn't feel any different than you catching up with a good friend to see what's going on in their business."

Listening as a Secret Weapon

Drawing from his introverted nature, Do emphasizes that his preference for listening over speaking has been instrumental in his sales effectiveness. He introduces the 80/20 Rule for conversations:

• 80% Listening: Encourages deep engagement and understanding of the client's needs.
• 20% Speaking: Focused, intentional communication that addresses the client's specific concerns.

Chris Do [01:15]: "We have a rough rule, it's an 8020 rule, that you should be listening 80% of the time and only talking 20% of the time."

He advises professionals to review sales conversations by analyzing transcripts to ensure adherence to this ratio, highlighting that over-talking can indicate a misalignment in understanding and addressing the client's true needs.

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Building Trust Through Active Listening

Do elaborates on how active listening fosters trust, a foundational element in building strong client relationships. By genuinely hearing and addressing client concerns, professionals can establish rapport and authority without resorting to overt sales pitches.

Chris Do [02:10]: "By listening to people, they feel heard, they feel seen, and most importantly, they feel understood. And that's the beginning of trust."

Avoiding Superficial Engagements

He warns against the pitfalls of superficial conversations where the listener is more focused on pushing their agenda rather than understanding the client's issues. Such interactions can lead to clients feeling undervalued and may result in missed opportunities or lost business.

Chris Do [03:05]: "And I'm just going to ignore it when it comes. So if you want to avoid clients ghosting you and hearing all kinds of false leads or feigned interest in what you're doing, become really interested in them."

Do emphasizes the importance of asking evidence-based questions that reflect genuine understanding and concern for the client's situation. This approach ensures that clients feel prioritized and respected, enhancing the likelihood of successful business engagements.

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Practical Applications and Strategies

To implement effective listening strategies, Do recommends:

1. Intentional Listening: Be fully present in conversations without distractions, focusing on truly understanding the client's needs.
2. Evidence-Based Questions: Ask questions that directly relate to what the client has expressed, demonstrating attentiveness and comprehension.
3. Post-Conversation Analysis: Regularly review conversation transcripts to assess and improve the balance between listening and speaking.

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Conclusion

Chris Do's insights in this episode highlight the underestimated power of listening in professional settings. By prioritizing understanding over speaking, professionals can build deeper trust, foster meaningful relationships, and achieve greater success with less effort. This approach not only differentiates individuals in competitive markets but also ensures sustainable and authentic business growth.

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Notable Quotes

• Chris Do [00:30]: "If you're doing your job well in the sales process, it shouldn't feel any different than you catching up with a good friend to see what's going on in their business."

• Chris Do [01:15]: "We have a rough rule, it's an 8020 rule, that you should be listening 80% of the time and only talking 20% of the time."

• Chris Do [02:10]: "By listening to people, they feel heard, they feel seen, and most importantly, they feel understood. And that's the beginning of trust."

• Chris Do [03:05]: "And I'm just going to ignore it when it comes. So if you want to avoid clients ghosting you and hearing all kinds of false leads or feigned interest in what you're doing, become really interested in them."

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Final Thoughts

Episode 322 serves as a compelling reminder that in an age dominated by rapid communication and relentless pitching, the art of listening remains a timeless and powerful tool. Chris Do's emphasis on authentic engagement over scripted sales tactics offers a refreshing perspective for professionals seeking to enhance their interpersonal skills and business outcomes.

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For More Information:
Visit thefutur.com/podcast for show notes and additional resources related to this episode.

Transcript

[Chris Do]

Hey, everybody. Chris here. We're trying something a little bit different than what we normally do for the podcast. We're doing solo episodes. These are shorter, more contained, built around certain themes and questions I think are very relevant for us to be talking about. So wherever you're listening to this, however you're seeing this, let us know in the comments and the feedback what you think, and we'll make some adjustments. Today's episode, I'm talking to you about the ways that you need to listen. And that's their secret power to selling more with less effort, without the friction. And it's very counterintuitive to the way that you've seen people sell on pop culture, maybe in sales coaching programs by supposed sales professionals and trainers. What I've come to realize that especially coming from the point of view of an introvert, one who likes to listen more than speak, that ultimately that became my secret weapon to selling more. Let me expand on this. If you're doing your job well in the sales process, it shouldn't feel any different than you catching up with a good friend to see what's going on in their business. There should be no agenda and no ulterior motive. I've mentioned this to a couple of people. Do you notice how that when you're talking to someone, you could smell their agenda? So what they think is a secret agenda? It's a not so secret agenda. When somebody's on stage and they're speaking, you can smell the book sale coming. You can sell the sales program or the coaching or the mastermind coming. You can smell all the things that they're trying to get you to think and do. How does that make you feel? And does it take away all the goodwill that was supposed to be there? You already got us in the room. We're already listening to you. We're looking up to you. And by doing these things, you undermine your own goodwill and authority. And so what you really want to do is to be able to sit apart from a person, engage in dialogue, not monologue. You want to listen more than you talk. And we have a rough rule, it's an 8020 rule, that you should be listening 80% of the time and only talking 20% of the time. So do yourself a favor. After your next sales conversation, look at the transcript and analyze for how much you were talking versus the client. If it's not anywhere near the 2080, you're doing something wrong.

[Rich Cardona]

It's time for a quick break, but we'll be right back.

[Chris Do]

Foreign the conversation. You're Listening to right now. You're going to love what we have for you inside the Future Pro membership. From live group calls with myself and vetted guest experts to over 600 hours of pro exclusive trainings and monthly networking, you'll have everything you need to fast track your growth. Check it [e-mail] pro.

[Rich Cardona]

And we're back. Welcome back to our conversation.

[Chris Do]

By listening to people, they feel heard, they feel seen, and most importantly, they feel understood. And that's the beginning of trust. That's how you build rapport. And I'm not going to give you money if I don't trust you, if I don't feel like you understand me or understand the problem. So what you want to do is, is you want to be a very intentional listener and ask questions that are evidence based based on what you just heard. I'll give you the example. If the client says, my car blew up and then I need a new website, you just move right onto the website. You didn't acknowledge the fact that their car blew up. And so then they're thinking, okay, he's only hearing half the things about what I'm saying, but he's mostly just interested in what helps him with his agenda. And this is really important. And the worst version of this is you don't ask about the car that exploded or the website that they need help with. You ask some other random question about a video marketing effort or social media podcasting thing that you want to do. And so they're sitting there scratching the head. Now, most people, especially in America, are quite polite. They'll go along with you. They'll answer your questions, they'll entertain this. But you know what they're really thinking? They have no freaking clue this is what they're thinking about you. They're not listening. They're not. And I can't wait for this conversation to be over. So what they'll say something is to the fact, send me a proposal that is the kiss of death. It's like, I'm done with this conversation. Please go work on something so I can get out of here. And I'm just going to ignore it when it comes. So if you want to avoid clients ghosting you and hearing all kinds of false leads or feigned interest in what you're doing, become really interested in them. I think it was John Maxwell who said this. I'm not sure if I quoted the wrong person to be interesting. Be interested. And if you can do that, the person's going to feel, if all things are equal, that you are more qualified to do the project than the next person they're going to talk to.

[Rich Cardona]

Thanks for joining us. If you haven't already, subscribe to our show on your favorite podcasting app and get new insightful episodes from us every week. The Future Podcast is hosted by Chris do and produced and edited by Rich Cardona Media. Thank you to Adam Sanborn for our intro music. If you enjoyed this episode, then do us a favor by reviewing and rating our show on Apple Podcasts. It will help us grow the show and make future episodes that much better. If you'd like to support the show and invest in yourself while you're at it, visit thefuture.com and you'll find video courses, digital products, and a bunch of helpful resources about design and the creative business. Thanks again for listening, and we'll see you next time.