The question"How to be a good listener engaged in Online Marketing" is very interesting.
Listening is a part of the communication. We need to be effective in our communication endeavors if we are to succeed in Marketing. The adjective added here is Online Marketing. we have to construe that written communication needs to be answered too. Now we have to see the communication of listening in Internet Marketing. To say about listening we have to appreciate the facts about communications.
Basically communication is two types: Written and Oral communications.
Written communications comprise of writing and expressing our views,opinions while sending reports, or trying to convince others to turn to our view point. Because the fact of 'Online' is added.
While writing communications (INTERNET/Face Book,Twitter etc): We need to be direct, simple, precise and without any interlocutions. Then the party on other side need not have to strain to respond to that. Simple because without any complicated, ambiguous verbiage. Direct in the sense what you want to say/ask/solicit from the other party straight away without going in to other details.The briefer the write-up the better it is for the communicator & the communicated. The longer the message, the more the communicator will be 'committing'. However, the most important aspect of the written communications is salutation, and courtesy. We have to 'place ourselves in the shoes of the other'. In other words what do I expect to be treated as, the same treatment I have to extend to the communicated. After all courtesy begets courtesy. Give respect and be respected. Let, Business be apart we are first Human beings and at all costs that 'human touch' needs to be maintained. With these basic precautions, when a communication is sent, we will get a reply 'in the same coin'. One more thing is we need not be assertive to convey our view point. If it has really worth, that automatically becomes assertive of itself. That does not either imply that we need to be sloppy or convincing. It needs to be matter-of-fact expression...
Coming to the Oral Communications: It has again an expressive part of it--talk/voice/expression and the method and manner of communicating it--popularly called Body Language. It may not be believable but out of our spoken language, the body language comprises of 83% and spoken word 17%. I am bringing out this point to emphasize that we need to be highly careful while speaking, talking or expressing our views. We may be intending to say one, but if our body language expresses something else, I think we have not succeeded in our mission of communication. The way we see, sit or stand lean against a wall combined with our expression in the eyes, demeanor all these weigh a lot while communicating.
About hearing and/or listening: For most of the commoners these two words mean one & the same. But etymologically and literally there is a lot of difference. Hearing is only hearing. In this way we need not put our heart & soul in to it. Simply the other person is saying something and we are hearing. But the person opposite who is conveying his/her ideas,views,or opinions will feel easily let down, belittled though not put to shame! Therefore in Online(including offline) Marketing whenever we are saying things we expect the other to pay attention. That is what is required of us while hearing..listening. To give an idea to the other that we are listening, slightly bend forwards, look straight in to the eyes of the other with on & oft expressions like..O.K, so then?, what happened next etc., so that the conversation is not understood by either party and onlookers that it is a dialogue and not monologue. IF SPEAKING CONVINCINGLY MAKING THE AUDIENCE SPELL BOUND IS AN ART, THEN LISTENING IS MUCH MORE THAN THAT, as it requires a lot of attention, concentration and focus. For writing we can think, jot down points and then write. But for speaking/listening we need to be adept at subject matter, as we have to say/react to things extempore!! I think this will help
less
