Click here to return to the Marketing Strategists main page.
Click here to return to the index of articles.

Published on eba.benefitnews.com on June 1, 2006, 2008
Twelve easy steps to communicating with those who can't hear
By Lynette Loomis

Many of your clients and prospects cannot understand what you're saying. But it's not necessarily because your pitch is too esoteric. It's because they can't hear you.

Studies suggest that 8% to 10% of Americans and nearly half of all baby boomers have some sort of hearing loss - and they don't know it.

Many factors contribute to hearing loss. Years of listening to music, be it rock, country or classical, through headphones, as well as the loud noises from riding mowers, chain saws and machinery, can reduce one's ability to hear. Military experience also takes its toll.

Unlike a change in vision, hearing loss is far more subtle. Because hearing often declines gradually, people don't recognize that they no longer understand everything in their environment. Therefore, many of your prospects and customers may have difficulty hearing normal conversation. Listening effectively is a cardinal rule in benefit sales, but it isn't enough. You need to be a more effective communicator.

• Use effective communication methods - such as asking open-ended questions, aligning your words and your body language, and using "you" in your message rather than "I" - with all your customers.
  
  
• Listen to your customer's style. Does he use "feeling" words? If so, phrase your message using the same frame of reference, such as, "This disability policy will give your employees a sense of safety and comfort." Similarly, if your customer is a bottom-line person, make your message short, factual and to the point: "This disability policy will save your company $20,000 over your current policy while retaining the same level of coverage."
  
  However, add some other techniques to your repertoire so your carefully crafted messages don't leave people thinking you mumble or giving you quizzical looks.
  
  
• Recognize your biases and any misinformation you possess. If you believe that only "old" people have a hearing impairment, just look at the teenagers and younger workers who seem permanently attached to their ear buds. Technology has put us all at risk for compromised hearing.
  
  
• Never mistake someone's hearing impairment for lack of intelligence. If you are trying to sell a policy and your customer "doesn't get it," it may just be that your communication style is not effective.
  
  By the same token, be aware of your tone. Be respectful and patient, and don't patronize. You are not speaking to a child. You are trying to establish a business relationship with an intelligent person whose hearing may be compromised.
  
  
• Eliminate background noise. Sharing a cup of coffee in the employee cafeteria may seem like the road to bonding with your prospect. However, multiple conversations, clanging silverware and equipment noise make it difficult for the prospect to sort out your message. Similarly, if you have offered to explain Medicare Part D to a group of retirees, consider the environment carefully and serve refreshments after your presentation.
  
  
• Don't sit or stand with your back to the light. Light can create a shadow effect and make it difficult for the listener to see your lips and facial expressions.
  
  
• Prepare an agenda that includes your key points. Make sure you have the person's attention before you begin speaking. Point to the item on the agenda when you begin speaking or change topics so your client has a point of reference.
  
  
• Sit across from, not next to, your client unless a person asks you to sit on his "good side" (many military veterans report hearing loss in one ear). Your facial expressions, gestures and lip movements are helpful clues as to what you are saying. Don't eat, drink, chew gum or rest your chin on your hand. These behaviors alter your normal speech pattern and distort important visual clues, as does an overgrown mustache. Maintain eye contact. If you are showing your client the results of a benefits audit, look at your client, not the papers.
  
  
• Contain your excitement and slow down. Let's say you are excited about saving an employer 15% on health care costs with a consumer-driven health plan. Your enthusiasm causes you to increase the speed at which you talk, making it difficult, if not impossible, for your client to understand this complex concept. It is human nature to escape an awkward situation by just saying "no." Don't let a prospect's refusal be the result of poor communication.
  
  
• Be creative and prepared. If your prospect gives you a quizzical look, it may be a signal that your message is unclear. Rather than repeat the same words, rephrase the thought and try another approach. This is particularly important when speaking with people who are not benefits experts, such as small business owners. When you rehearse your presentation, practice several different ways to make your key points. People in your audience with hearing loss will be appreciative and the remainder will view it as reinforcement of your point.
  
  
• Avoid or minimize jargon. Acronyms are verbal shorthand. But if you are introducing a new total rewards package to a benefits manager, repeat the entire phrase in your conversation. Unfamiliar acronyms are hard to lip read.
  
  
• Maintain an even tone. We are inclined to speak more loudly to a person with a hearing impairment. Increasing your volume a notch may be helpful, but anything more than that will work against you. Look in a mirror and say the same sentence at three different volume levels. Now say the same sentence in an angry tone. Notice that your facial expressions accompanying anger and simply speaking loudly are very similar.

None of us are immune to the impact of a noisy world on our ability to hear. Good listening skills are crucial, but we must be more effective communicators for those who cannot listen as well.

Lynette M. Loomis is a consultant with MVP Healthcare and Preferred Care who works with individuals and teams to improve their communication skills and business performance. She may be reached at lloomis@preferredcare.org.