Questioning or probing as it is also known, is most of the most important skills you can learn when dealing with customers and one of the most powerful. The ability to ask questions that uncover important information about a customer’s needs, current supply and willingness to change is a strong characteristic of a ‘consultative’ sales approach.
Great questioning techniques focus on uncovering problems, challenges or frustrations that a business may be experiencing. More often than not your prospects may not actually realize the full extent of these problems until you start questioning and asking about them.
Most importantly, when you ask great questions it can help you to win new business much quicker and with fewer objections. When we help prospects to think about the needs of their business and to really think about current or potential problems or challenges they may face, they start to see us differently and understand the value we can add to them or their business.
There are 2 common types of questions you can ask: ‘open’ questions and ‘closed’ questions
1. Open questions usually result in longer answers and are aimed at getting your prospects to think about the answer.
For example: “What plans does the organisation have to achieve…..”
2. Closed questions can be answered with a yes, no or one word and are used to qualify the response to an open question.
For example: Do you have any plans at the moment?
The challenge in questioning is to ask more open than closed questions as it is easy to fall into ‘interrogation mode’ by asking lots of closed questions rather than a few strategic open questions.
Over the years I have met many people who are looking for help to close sales quicker and/or easier and the first thing I ask them is “what happened in the first appointment”, “what needs of the prospect are you meeting” and “why would this prospect want to buy your product or services?”
When we discuss their questions they are usually very surprised to find out that they are asking the same stock-standard questions that most people ask and they typically aren’t that interesting either. Imagine how repetitive and un-interesting it is for your prospects to be asked the same questions over and over again?
Ask yourself, “are you asking questions that all your competitors are asking or are you making your prospects think?”
Here is a quick test you can take to see if you are asking the same questions as your competitors or whether you are making them think. In your next appointment,
• Does the prospect start to give you a summary of the information you need before you have the chance to ask any questions
• When you do ask a question, does the prospect answer it relatively quickly or do they take a moment to think about their answer.
• How often do you hear your prospects say “that‘s a great question, I hadn’t thought about that?”
As I said, asking great questions isn’t easy but once you start you will really notice the difference in your appointments. Spend 5-10 minutes before your next appointment thinking about the questions you will ask and write them down so you don’t forget them in the meeting!
Here are some to get you started:
• How will these issues impact the organisation in the future?
• How do they impact you?
• What do you look for in a potential supplier (or partner)?
• What do you like about your current supplier?
• What do you like about them?
• Is there anything that you don’t like?
• What would make you change suppliers?
• How would you like to see it working (perfect world)?
• What is your decision making process?
Are you asking questions that make your customers & prospects THINK? - To learn more about this author, visit Karen Andrews's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 |
Related Articles |
|
 When will the customer buy?
|
| |
Your customers will buy from you when they perceive:
Your price is fair
The risk of purchasing is low
Their gain is high
Your JOB…
Giving the customer the proper perception
|
|
Are you asking questions that make your customers & prospects THINK?
|
| |
Questioning or probing as it is also known, is most of the most important skills you can learn when dealing with customers and one of the most powerful. The ability to ask questions that uncover important informatio...
|
|
Stumped for content?
|
| |
 Content is the commerce of social media. But, relevant content, the stuff your customers and prospects actually want to know is the gold. Constantly cranking out this gold can sometimes present creative challenges.
|
|
5 Guaranteed Ways To Retain Online Customers & Keep Them Away From Competiton
|
| |
Whatever the product or service you offer on your website; there are probably hundreds of thousands or millions other websites which a potential online customer can go to. It takes a lot of hard work to get the visi...
|
|
Stress-Free Selling® - Do Your Proposals Sell?
|
| |
How often is your proposal evaluated by people who were not part of your previous meetings?
Regardless the communication method (in person, phone, email, fax, etc.), many proposals are reviewed by superiors, comm...
|
 |
Related Businesses - Evan Elite Authors |
|
Kim Castle
With nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation.
BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them?
If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
|
Vwodek Wojczynski
Business Coach and Consultant Vwodek Wojczynski (pronounced Voy-chin-ski) brings fun, awareness, accountability and fresh perspectives based on his diverse experiences in life and business.
Born in Poland and educated in Greece and Canada, he is trilingual with 8 years experience in business development with clients in Canada, USA, Switzerland and Poland.
His approach is systematic and process-driven. He fuses the know-how of proven business methods with his commitment that entrepreneurs experience satisfaction and joy based on their values, motivations and strengths. He believes that businesses succeed based on their ability to generate value by providing what’s needed and wanted.
Ultimately, he trains executives and true business owners - people who work less, produce more, own businesses that run automatically after a while and make a difference globally.
His current research focus is the development of intelligent business systems and the application of emerging artificial intelligence technologies in business.
He is also an avid traveler, spoken word performer and visual artist. He resides in Toronto, Canada. - Visit Vwodek Wojczynski's Website |
|
George Ludwig
George Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance.
Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson.
His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more.
George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
|
The Evan Elite Authors program is currently in beta phase. For details please contact us.
|
|
|
Karen Andrews
(Visit Karen's Website)
As Director of Shine Sales Solutions,
Karen provides sales solutions for small
and medium sized businesses that make a
real difference to their bottom line. She
does this by offering advice, guidance and
tools that assist business owners to
understand the sales process and develop
the sales skills required to grow their
business.
Whether it be managing sales staff to
ensure consistent sales results or working
1 on 1 to develop your sales skills, she
believes in giving people the tools that
they need to build their business. This
includes the important face to face skills
that business owners need to talk about
their business.
Karen has over 10 years experience in
managing new business development
campaigns for major companies in
industries such as Office Equipment,
Telecommunications and Information
Technology. During her career, Karen
recognised an opportunity to assist those
who don’t have any background in sales and
don’t necessarily like doing it, but have
no choice but to develop the skills to
ensure their business succeeds.
If you would like to improve the sales
performance of your business, contact
Shine Sales Solutions on +612 94376500 or
sale
s@shinesales.com.au
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
![[Get Copyright Permissions]](http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.gif){kind=small}
