| Small business marketers need good listening skills. | | | | and forces the reader to take stock of her own |
| No, that's not quite true: we need superior listening skills. | | | | listening habits. Even if you find just one or two listening |
| We must learn to effectively listen to: | | | | deaf spots taking it is a few minutes well spent. |
| - Customers | | | | Make sure to read pages 48-50. Reed addresses a |
| - Co-workers | | | | topic rarely mentioned in today's business books: |
| - Business Partners | | | | listener bias. This is a particularly insidious problem |
| - Vendors (an overlooked goldmine of information) | | | | simply because so many of us don't even know we |
| Here's the good news: you can develop great listening | | | | are biased. Here again, Reed outlines a useful |
| skills. Positive Listening by Warren H. Reed is a little | | | | countermeasure to help defeat your own listening bias. |
| gem of a book jammed full of great ideas and | | | | Page 55 lists important tips regarding eye contact and |
| checklists to help any small business marketer become | | | | the listener's role in affecting what the speaker says. |
| a more effective listener. | | | | This is especially important for marketers who may |
| Please note: throughout the book Reed speaks to the | | | | sometimes have to deal with impatient or overbearing |
| reader as manager; he's written the book to address | | | | salespeople or bosses. Which means it's important for |
| that job title. But what if you are a marketer in a | | | | all marketers. |
| non-managerial role? First, pick out the luckiest of your | | | | Read the top paragraph on page 105 regarding |
| lucky stars and thank it (OK, just teasing), then simply | | | | note-taking and editing your notes. Reed is spot-on |
| substitute the word "marketer" for "manager". | | | | when stressing the value of the few minutes extra |
| The chapters we found most useful for the small | | | | you spend developing this essential skill. |
| business marketer were: | | | | Pages 121-122 lays out six great points for chairing a |
| - Chapter Two, "Getting Control of Listening: Where | | | | meeting--use these next time to boost your Bloom |
| Do You Begin" | | | | Team meeting. |
| - Chapter Four, "Knowing What to Listen For" | | | | And pages 151 through 156 relate an excellent case |
| - Chapter Eight, "Listening at Meetings, Conferences, | | | | study for marketers and salespeople. |
| Seminars and Lectures" | | | | Positive Listening by Warren H. Reed is a great place |
| - Chapter Nine, "Listening as the Meeting Leader" | | | | to start improving your listening skills...something about |
| - Case Study Two, "The Stockbroker and the | | | | being less frustrated, too, I think would be a good close. |
| Marketing Executive" | | | | Remember: People (customers and employees) + |
| Pages 13-18 outline a worthwhile listening self-discovery | | | | Package (your Face to the Customer) + Brand (who |
| exercise that will help you uncover your listening | | | | you are) = Marketing Success. |
| weaknesses. Reed's self-diagnostic tool is easy to use | | | | |