Empathy Tactics

We often hear about the importance of empathy in sales. This is often interpreted as caring about your customers & being thoughtful enough to think about their problems through their lens. Theoretically, this makes sense, but when a client is approaching a situation in a way you never would have dreamed, practicing what you preach is harder than it looks. Let’s dive in.

You know that feeling when you’re confident something will be good for someone but they go in the opposite direction? A friend making a bad dating decision, your co-worker making a short-sighted career move, or your client not doing something seemingly clearly in their best interest?  It’s a twist in your stomach that makes you almost defensive. 

But you have to assume your client is a rational person who is just interpreting data differently than you. Who has additional context than you. Who has different things at stake than you. There are countless factors that contribute to why someone responds a certain way. What matters most here is that you practice empathy by knowing a person’s reaction to a situation almost certainly makes sense to them. 

When you’re pitching a product/idea/change initiative and start receiving pushback, you have an empathy tool in your toolkit. Say something along the lines of "If I were you, I'd feel the exact same way." Why is this powerful? You create the space for your client to feel as though you’re viewing them as a rational human being. You’re also acknowledging that there’s complexity and even emotion in making this decision. You’re also not compromising any of your or your company’s values by doing this for the simple reason that you’re not lying when saying “If I were you, I’d feel the same way.” Of course, you’re not them and you don’t feel the same way, but this is how you can honestly play both sides.

Add tactical empathetic responses to your toolkit, especially during potentially contentious change initiative conversations.

68% of customers will spend more with a brand that understands them (source). I’d even add that there’s power in showing you’re just trying to understand them. Showing vulnerability and empathy only serves to strengthen your connection with your client. You’ve got nothing to lose but your ego.