|
|
Like this article? PLEASE +1 it! |  |
|
Can Your Salespeople Sell More Effectively by Asking More Questions?
| Guest post by: Dave Kurlan |
Article Overview: Selling by asking questions is hard. A list of questions isn't the answer. Left to their own devices, your salespeople won't be able to create the kind of questions that are needed. You might not be able to either.
 |
Free Download - Sales Courage and Resilience By Dave Kurlan |
Can Your Salespeople Sell More Effectively by Asking More Questions?
By now most executives understand the role and importance of questions in the sales process.
More questions? Okay.
Better questions? Sure.
Tougher questions? Makes sense.
Questions that result in the kind of conversations that none of your competitors are having with your prospects? Sounds great.
But can your salespeople do this? Yes, they can ask more questions but, without considerable training and coaching, over a period of months, those questions won't be better or tougher and won't result in those incredible conversations that your competitors aren't having with your prospects.
Selling by asking questions is hard. A list of questions isn't the answer. Left to their own devices, your salespeople won't be able to create the kind of questions that are needed. You might not be able to either.
As an example, I asked a group of salespeople to create a list of 12 questions that would uncover compelling reasons - tougher questions than they usually ask. As usual, I received questions to the ones they have always asked - commodity driven, lame, no different from their competitors.
Here is an example of one question and how it should be asked instead:
EXAMPLE: What kind of initiatives are you currently considering?
This is a good example of what salespeople from most industries do - they troll for opportunities which, when identified, are littered with competitors! Commercial Realtors and Insurance Agents are great examples of salespeople who consistently do this wrong, shot gunning for lease and policy expirations as the events that would allow them to book appointments - along with every one of their competitors! Those "opportunities" are ripe for price concessions and become bidding contests! Unless your salespeople are REALLY effective at asking tough questions to move to an earlier stage of the sales process and differentiate your company, you'll find yourself presenting, proposing, chasing and giving away margin - if you win.
Instead, you want your salespeople identifying problems that don't yet have initiatives, expiration dates or time lines attached to them. The problems, when exposed, diagnosed, explored, expanded and quantified, create urgency to solve those problems and your salespeople are now in an enviable position, as trusted advisers, to solve them. So what should your salespeople ask instead of the "what kind of initiatives" question?
How about, "in the area of _____(what you solve, not what you sell)_________, what is your single biggest frustration?"
Regardless of what you've been told, this is the foundation of Consultative Selling. An analysis of a random group of 2,000 salespeople from dozens of various industries, assessed by Objective Management Group this week, shows the following:
The average percentage of the Attributes present in the Consultative Skill Set (Consultative Selling) is only 33%. In one company, the top scoring salesperson had only 52% of the attributes.
So what can you make of all this? Asking questions is the most important of all the sales SKILLS and this skill is the most difficult of all to understand, learn, internalize, apply and master. Don't fool yourself into thinking that understanding and learning translate into application and mastery. Only practice, use, coaching and accountability will cause that to happen!
How to Ramp-Up New Salespeople in 90 Days
Sales Force Alignment with Market Strategies
True Sales Professionals Are Product Agnostic
New Metrics for the Sales Force - Unusual Thoughts for Unusual Times
Why the Relationship is So Important to the Sales Outcome
Everyone has a plan. Some plans are better than others because they contain all or most of the necessary steps and sequence them in an appropriate order. Most plans have gaps where steps should be and the sequence doesn't lend itself to success. One area where we see this occur repeatedly is when companies are about to hire a Sales VP or Director AND
The CEO Who Needed to Hire Salespeople
Salespeople are Like Children
Is Moving From Vendor Up the Ladder Scary to Sales Executives?
Deadly Sin#7B: One-size-fits-all Sales Pitches
Data Points Tell a Story Prospects Buy Happy Endings
Why is Selling So Difficult?
Salesmanship and Empathy
Read Customers Better Using Proven Sales Techniques
Intent Versus Content
Are You Confident Or Cocky?
The Prospect Isn't Talking With Any Other Salespeople
The Biggest Mistake Sales Managers Make
Reference Requests for Salespeople
Top Sales Professionals Ask The Right Questions
|
About the Author: Dave Kurlan RSS for Dave's articles - Visit Dave's website Click here to visit Dave's website   Predict Sales Turnover Visual Pipeline Salesperson Selection |
Related Forum Posts
Re: Social Media Effectively?
- Thanks for your feedback. I am currently reevaluating my use of Twitter as I am the other major networks. Seems that while I have focused on social business networks and have a good presence there, I have not been using Social Media Effectively with the big networks.
Some of the better site tools include theses networks in evaluating your marketing strategy.
While I don't care for the Twitter limits, I can see that just by cleaning up my following's to focus more on business connections will help
Your advantage over others
- Sell using your USP - unique selling proposition.
Why should people buy from you, instead of your competitors?
Think about it, why are you so great?
It may be a hard question, but finding the answer can multiply the effectiveness of any advertising or marketing activities you undertake.
Re: Quote of the Day - "Don't be embarrassed about asking "stupi
- One of my favorite requests when leading a class, workshop, lecture, interview, whatever...
There are no Stupid Questions, don't be afraid to ask - someone else has the same question, but is afraid to ask
On the other hand - try anticipate the questions
Back to the first hand - Some People ARE dummer than a ROCK
Re: When do entrepreneurs retire, if ever?
- Why would you ever retire when you love what you are doing?
Sell the business and start another one maybe - but retire - NEVER!
You should all read, The 4 Hour Work Week - By Timothy Ferris. He talks about building your business so that you can take mini 'retirement's throughout your life, instead of saving it all up for when you are old.
Great concept - what do you think??
Re: Marketing ideas?
- Questions will set you free... And make you Rich
[quote="KH_Global":349pds7c]Just ask ask ask. That is it.[/quote:349pds7c]
Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.
Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.
by: 
Best Automated Forex Trading Strategy
Build Your List with Joint Venture Giveaway Events
May 2012 Top 100 Social Media Experts to Follow on Twitter
What to measure to be phenomenally successful in business
10 mistakes of media relations
Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!
Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.