People just don't seem to listen the way they used to. In today's fast-paced world it is almost guaranteed that any communication with roundabout tendencies will be met with disinterest and glossy-eyed stares.

Our digital age, with its bionic communications, seems to have outmoded the speech of mere mortals, and the inability for professionals to adapt could eventually hurt the bottom line. Salespersons with lackluster or sluggish communication skills risk losing clients and prospects to the competition.

Fortunately, salespeople can develop effective communication strategies to manage nearly any attention-deficit scenario. To move people to action in today's business environment, all communications need to deliver a swift, convincing case that a product or service is clearly the best choice. A sales approach that considers the needs of customers, succinctly conveys the competitive advantage of a product or service, and seeks lasting relationships, is likely to keep the attention of today's hurried customer-and, more importantly, close the sale.