Tweet

Are you asking questions that make your customers & prospects THINK?

Written by: Karen Andrews

Article Overview: 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.

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 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?

Related Articles
  1st of the 10 Kurlan Sales Competencies that are Key to Building a Sales Culture
  When will the customer buy?
  Are you boring prospects with your questions?
  Stumped for content?
  5 Guaranteed Ways To Retain Online Customers & Keep Them Away From Competiton

Article Tags: increase sales, sales, sales coach, sales expert, sales person, sales strategy, sales tips, sales tricks



Related Forum Posts
Re: Email Marketing Benefits - Robert, Many lists consist of more prospects than customers. Customer lists are the best, but they are created because prospects successfully transform into customers.
How to develop sales contacts? - Unfortunately starting off there isn’t a whole lot of easy tricks. But when you get those 2 interested prospects from sales calls and turn them into customers, you need to develop a referral system that gets 3-4 good prospects from each of them. That's the key to prospecting in sales, referrals from satisfied customers. Sometimes they'll give you the business without having to ask, but normally you'll have to pry a little and ask them who they know that could use your service or product.
How to develop sales contacts? - You have the best plan going right now....you have to be assertive, and talk to people like people...don't sound to much like a sales person...I have been in corporate sales for over 15 years, I have sold over $15 million dollars in contract sales...here are the keys to selling: 1) Know your product better than your competitor. Not just what it does, but why your brands are better...do a comparison...be the EXPERT! 2) COLD CALL!! You have to put in your time, make your calls, build relationships, and if they tell you to follow up in 3 months, get yourself a great follow-up CRM. $15bucks a month, you can enter all of your prospects, notes, letters, etc..and they have a calendar for follow up calls...keep all your prospects in one place for daily access... 3) Did I mention COLD CALL!!? Also, once you have built your customer base, you then have the opportunity to ask for referrals. Follow-up with your customers every few months to make sure they are happy...especially with CORPORATE customers...the hotel business is a great start, you want the to think of you when they need more TV's!! I call it, "be everywhere."! Stick to corporate sales, you get more for your money...although if you want to sell to individual's try e-bay, or classifieds, but don't waste a ton of time trying to sell 1 tv, sell in BULK! 4) Nothing happens overnight, you have to earn the big money...put in your time, work your A__ off, and give great customer service! GOOD LUCK! Hope this was helpful...
Re: Do Your Prospects / Customers Trust You? - All good points everyone and I'm learning as I read through. Gaining trust takes a lot of time and even if you're an expert or a startup in the field that you're promoting or excelling with, still, you have to put enough attention on how you'll be able to establish value among your prospects and customers by giving them what they need (contents, contacts, ventures, etc) and not only by offering them services and selling them products. Thus, customers do trust us with the way we give them satisfaction first before they give something back in return.
Sssshhhh...Just trying to slip in quietly... - Heard me huh? OK. Well, I guess as long as I have your attention, I'll just let you know I'm here to try and add as much value as I can when it comes to fielding questions and concerns about how to generate more sales leads from your website, email marketing and ads. I've been writing articles for the Evan Carmichael site for a couple of years and thought I'd check out the forum and figure out ways I could contribute. Got tons of sales and direct response copywriting experience that has helped my clients attract more prospects and convert them in profitable customers. I promise to chip in as much as I can so you can take advantage of my background and skills and apply it to your own business so you can grow your profits faster. Looking forward to participating.


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.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

10 Steps to Excelling at Franchise Sales

Life is a Balancing Act!

International Employment Background Checks

Suggestions

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.