Here is how you can be brief and to the point:
- Know exactly what you want to say
- Understand what need your customer has
- Be confident
- Ask
Know exactly what you want to say
If you find yourself beating around the bush, running down rabbit trails, or rambling, it is likely because you haven’t given much thought to what you wanted to say before you started saying it. When you need to be brief and to the point, you should prepare your thoughts ahead of time. Know your subject, know your goal, and think of how best to say what you need to say.
Understand what need your customer has
When you just have a few moments to convince a customer to buy, you better know what need he has. Talking about something other than the customer’s need will be a waste of time. Hit him where you can help him the most by focusing on his need. In order to find the need, do as much research ahead of time as possible, or ask a series of quick questions to figure it out while staying brief and to the point.
Be confident
A confident person doesn’t beat around the bush. She just comes out and says what she needs to say. Don’t second guess yourself. Preparing ahead and knowing your audience will help you to be more confident. You also just need to practice believing in yourself. When you are confident you are clear and you are quick to say what matters. This will help you keep on point when you have just a few brief moments to talk to someone.
Ask
Whether talking to a customer, a potential partner, or even a group of prospects, you should always have a goal in mind. Even if you don’t have a lot of time to talk to someone, you should always have something you want them to do. To stay brief and to the point, get to “the ask” quickly. Whether you are asking for a sale, asking for help, or asking for trust, get to the point. Be confident, be prepared, and speak to a need, then move in and ask your question. If you don’t ask for something quickly, you will squander your one brief opportunity and may not have a chance for a longer conversation later on.
Any questions?
