One of the best pieces of advice when it comes to the world of B2B is for salespeople to actually listen to their customers.

At present, this is not always the case. But clients and customers really want you to listen to them and gain a real understanding of their needs, situation and requirements, and it is your job to do that by listening actively to what they have to say.

Many B2B salespeople have a particular behavioral style or may even have been trained to focus on presentation and talking.

Unfortunately, sometimes this style actually prevents them from listening to what their customers are really trying to tell them.

Listening as a sales skill is taken for granted far too often. Some people may even believe they have a natural gift for it – a perspective that can mean they put very little effort or time into learning how to listen properly.

While it is important to listen to the customer first, when it comes time for your pitch, engaging the customer with your storytelling skills is one of the most crucial tools in a salesperson’s skill set.

Being able to capture the imagination of your customers and to engross them in your tale can very quickly give you an enormous competitive edge over your rivals.