Your Market Speaks...Are You Listening?

Most people feel that they are listening, but are they really hearing what is being said? In life or in business we have lots of people who come into our lives.  We have a lot to SAY to these people but we really don't HEAR them. They speak, they tell us all that they need, however,  we anticipate our next response instead of hearing their needs. Then when their needs require action, an action we have not really thought much about, being caught up in our own thought,  we miss the opportunity to build the relationship. Without the relationship, we cannot close the sale.

Anyone who knows me knows how much I loath shopping. I don't just "not like it". I actually hate it. It isn't because I have had babies and never recovered completely, because I hated shopping before I was ever pregnant. To be honest, I am not even sure when I decided to hate it. However, I have a best friend, Joyce,  who LOVES it. So, when Joyce and I are going to spend a day shopping, Joyce goes ahead of me and picks out clothes that flatter my shape and coloring and all in my current size. Joyce picks through the millions of sales racks and  find the perfect gems to add to my wardrobe. Joyce knows that in my career, marketing,  the most important impression is the first 30 seconds, so the right clothes for the right target market is essential. I know this. I know that the shopping trips are inevitable. But I still have the small matter of my aversion to shopping. How do I solve this? I don't. My best friend does. She listens to me. She listens and she hears me. She put in an extra effort and makes our shopping trips incredibly fun for both of us.

So, why is listening important in marketing? Why is actually hearing someone important in business? Hearing someone is actively listening to them. Fitting the need is the most important part of a sale, but knowing and anticipating the need because you listened... really listened to your target market is the key. It will bring more referrals, more sales, more success in networking. People like to talk and people like to be heard, but not many people really like to listen, really listen. So, what about you? Do you listen? Are you hearing what your target market has to say OR do you simply focus on what your target market will hear YOU say?