Professional Interpersonal Communications

1. Professional Interpersonal Communications Unit 6: Career Development Lesson: CD4

2. Objectives Lesson Objective: • After completing the lesson on professional interpersonal communications, students will demonstrate their ability to apply the concept in real-world situations by obtaining a minimum score of 80% on a Top 10 List. Enabling Objectives: • Identify the use of verbal communications in agriculture sales and marketing and explain how effective listening is used in agriculture sales and marketing. • Identify various types of nonverbal communication and explain how they can be used effectively in agriculture sales and marketing.

3. Key Terms • Verbal Communication • Nonverbal Communication

4. It’s not all about what you say…

5. For communication to be effective, it must be clear enough to create the desired response from the receiver of the communication.

6. Verbal and Nonverbal Communication • Verbal Communication • Any form of communication that consists of either spoken or written words • Nonverbal Communication • Communication not involving the use of spoken or written words • Facial expressions, body gestures, tone of voice, etc.

7. Verbal Communication in Ag Sales and Marketing • Form content of presentations • Supply customer with technical information • Facts about features/benefits • Information about problems or concerns • Jargon, slang, industry terminology should be used carefully to avoid confusing customer • Do not discuss product too technically or too simply • Both may alienate, annoy, or lose interest of customer

8. Effective Listening in Sales and Marketing • Acquire information needed to make a sale • Customer needs, customer concerns, signals about when to close the sale • Be more aware of customer’s listening skills and anything that might cause a distraction that would hinder a sale • Environmental distractions • Distance between speaker and listener • Lack of physical or mental preparation for listening • Content distractions – Bias for or against subject, new or complicated terminology, disorganized presentation, poor delivery of presentation • Be able to give and receive feedback • Confirm salesperson’s understanding of customer and customer’s understanding of message • Nodding, confirm statements like “I understand,” rephrasing or asking questions about ideas

9. Nonverbal Communication • Facial Expressions • Smiling or frowning, raising an eyebrow, wrinkling forehead • Gestures • Hand on hip, clenched fist, moving hands while speaking • Body Language • Posture, stance, body position • Dress • Care invested in and appropriateness of dress • Rate of Speech • Speed at which words are spoken • Tone of Voice • Pitch of voice • Eye Contact • Looking someone in the eye, looking down, looking off into the distance

10. Nonverbal Communication in Ag Sales and Marketing • Reinforce salesperson’s own message and influence customer • Can interpret customer’s attitude • Facial Expressions • Reveal inner feelings • Gestures • Emphasize points of the presentation and reveal attitudes • Body Language • Show level of interest in subject • Dress • Communicates attitude • Rate of Speech • Make presentation interesting and easy to understand • Reveal customer’s level of interest and attention • Tone of Voice • Greatly affect how a message being sent or received is interpreted • Eye Contact • Reveals level of trust, confidence, and honesty among people involved

11. Conclusion • Communication skills are a vital part of agribusiness sales. Communication cannot be used effectively unless the person understands how to utilize verbal, nonverbal, and listening skills together. They are a package that cannot be separated since each part of the process of communication relies heavily on the others. • It is important to understand the components of the communication process in order to speak well, as well as to better understand what factors might help or hinder a person in receiving the message sent. • A salesperson should strive to always be aware of the communication process and constantly work to improve his or her skills.

12. Review • Verbal communication • Effective listening • Nonverbal communication

13. Exit Cards • What did you learn today about professional interpersonal communication? • What questions do you still have about professional interpersonal communication?