Book summary of "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie.
Arouse in the other person an eager want. Give people what they want, not what you want. Sell value, not features. Try to understand the real problems of your customers and make them want your solution.
Give honest and sincere appreciation. What do most people want? Apart from food, sleep, health and money people have a deep desire to feel important. When selling something to a person, align with the person’s goals.
Don't criticize, condemn or complain. Criticism most of the time doesn't work and merely puts people on the defensive. Instead, try to understand why people do what they do.
Smile. Humans can differentiate vocal intonation between a smile and a non-smile.
Become genuinely interested in other people. Listen to other people and care about their problems and interests. When someone is interested in your product but is not a good fit, point them to the right solution even if it’s not your company. People will appreciate the effort and will remember you in case they see the need for your product in the future.
Be a good listener and encourage others to talk about themselves. Listening is the ultimate act of caring. Good entrepreneurs listen to customers and uncover their pains so they can provide a fitting solution.
Make the other person feel important - and do it sincerely. When a customer calls you and complains about your product pay attention and make him feel important. Even if he has already agreed for a 2 year contract and he is the smallest of your 10.000 customers.
Avoid arguments. It’s impossible to win an argument. If you lose the argument, you lose; if you win the argument, you have made the other person feel inferior and resentful.
When you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically. Any fool can try to defend his mistakes, but it raises one above the herd to admit one's mistakes.
Get the other person saying "Yes" at the start. If possible, keep the other person from saying "No." Use the "Socratic method" to garner trust and agreement.
Be sympathetic with the other person's ideas and desires. Disagreement doesn't necessarily mean there is a wrong and right side. You should be open to other people's points of view and learn from them.
Ask questions instead of giving orders. Humans hate taking orders. Give people the opportunity to think and do things by themselves.
Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to. If you want to improve a person in a certain respect, act as though that particular trait were already one of his or her outstanding characteristics.
Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest. Always align what you want with what makes the other person happy while being sincere and thoughtful.