Relationships start with communication

Mahatma Gandhi said: "Relationships are based on four principles: respect, understanding, acceptance and appreciation.”In fact, these mirror the 4 principles of my BALD™Formula for effective human communications.

• Be human = Respect for the other person.
• Ask great questions = Understanding the other person
• Listen slowly = Eliminate biases to show acceptance of the other person
• Deliver value = Delivering value to demonstrate your appreciation of the other person

Communication comes before everything else in a sale.The quality of the relationships you build with your buyers is completely a function of how you communicate.Connecting with another person. Engaging their interest. Building trust. They’re all based on communication.Too often we assume that all sellers know how to be human. That they all joined the work world knowing the power of questions. And the impact of listening and acceptance. And the power of appreciation by giving value for value.In making these assumptions, we overlook the most fertile area for self-improvement. The one that will have the single biggest ROI for those who invest in developing their ability to effectively communicate.Start your week by making the commitment to step up your communications game.-Andy Paul