Verbal communication is becoming a "lost art" as more and more of us are living in the "on-line" world, the communication has shifted from verbal to written. People tend to use the same phrases in their verbal conversations, regardless of who they are speaking with, and this does very little to develop a relationship with a potential prospect. It may even be working against you, and you don't even realize it.

When you are in a store, and meet an acquaintance, one of you will probably say "Hi, How's it going?" and the other will say "fine thanks and you?" Just walking through a store you can probably hear this about 5 times in 15 minutes. It's the easy conversation, acknowledgement that you two "know" each other, and then you move on.

What would happen if we changed the conversation? Everyone is a prospect, in recruiting and in real estate; it's the people you know that can provide referral business to you. Yes, you have acknowledged the person, but you have not gotten "personal." People will respond to how they are addressed. If you casually acknowledge someone, they aren't thinking of your professional persona, they are equating your casual conversation as an acknowledgement and nothing else. Let's try to make this a more "personal" conversation. Could having an actual conversation instead of a casual exchange lead to more business?

Instead of using "it", why not ask about something specific? There is a common bond between yourself and the "fine, thanks" person, or you would not be acknowledging each other in the first place. Try to use something from your bond, instead of "how's it going", try "how do you like the new sidewalk?" to a neighbor or "how is your summer vacation so far?" to your child's teacher from last year. The first thought that pops into your mind when you see the acquaintance, could be the "it" in your sentence. You can always ask a past client "how they are enjoying their new home." You may find out they will be listing it again soon, just by asking a specific question instead of "how's it going?"

A recruiting prospect should also be acknowledged as such verbally. If I have the opportunity to bump into a recruiting prospect, a "how is your business fairing?" can open new opportunities for discussion, that would not present themselves if I stuck with a "how's it going" approach.

Effective written communication is vital to our on-line personalities, but a casual hello and a conversation that tells someone that you know them, and care about their well being, can put you well on your way to earning more repeat and referral business. Practice your verbal communication at every opportunity.