Taking notes to influence
If you want to influence others - follow these four steps for taking notes and you'll quickly discover an improved flow in communication, mutual understanding and increased power to be persuasive:
(1) Divide Paper in Four
First, before taking notes divide your paper in four areas by drawing a big cross (as explained in my previous blog post). Above the line (the red area), write down keywords for everything that is negative. Below the line (the green area), keep score of every positive statement and explanation.
(2) Differentiate Between Positive and Negative
When you ask the right questions, you'll find that problems (the top red area) are sometimes indirect, i.e. they are connected to or a result of other problems. Make sure to distinguish between the two. The same goes for solution oriented positive statements. Consider this example:
PROBLEM: "My computer crashes on me..." (direct) "...I lose important data" (indirect)
SOLUTION: "...a laptop that never crashes"! (direct) "...keeps my data safe" (indirect)
(3) Balance the Feedback
Persuasion is found in knowing both what bugs people and how they'd like to fix it. Top sales performers spot the difference and always make sure there's a balance between "red" and "green". If the client only provides problems in the "red area", we pull out - through questioning - the flip side of those same problems; the solutions in the "green area". Vice versa, if clients only give us wish lists, then we dig for the problem(s) behind their expressed desires.
(4) Stick to Your Notes When Presenting
Once the other person has clearly and fully explained what's wrong and how he or she would like to resolve the matter, then we present our offering tailored strictly to the bullet points we've written down.
That's an effective way to take notes in a sales meeting - and apply them both in the meeting and for future reference!
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