Feedback Form
Home Features Mastermind Forums About Advertise Blog Network Contact Be An Author

Crucial Questions to Superior Sales

Crucial Questions to Superior Sales
Free Download - How not to Plan your Company’s Future - 5 common mistakes when identifying customer needs By Jeff Mowatt
Name: Email:

When your customers aren't sure which of your products or services they should buy, consider this handy tool that not only helps create clarity, but also positions you as a trusted advisor. I'm referring to a time-test sales tool known as SWOT. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. When I do customer service and sales seminars and speeches for groups, I often hear this is one of the most useful tools people learn. Here's how to ask SWOT questions. Explain to your customer that every customer is different and you want to come up with a solution to suit their unique needs. Then explain that you'd like to ask them a few questions to help them narrow the field. Now ask these SWOT questions:

S- Strengths

"When you think about other products/services in this category that you've used in the past, what have you liked about them?" If, for example, you're a travel agent discussing vacation options with a client, ask them where they've vacationed before and what they liked about it. If you're a hairstylist, ask the customer about the last time they loved their hairstyle and what they liked about it. Starting with strengths about current and past purchase helps the customer clarify what's important to them. And it shows that you are not threatened by discussing the positive aspects of your competitors' products and services. In your customers' view, this alone makes you different than other sales people who want to run-down the competition. It's a generous way to start building trust at the outset.

W- Weaknesses

"What have you not liked about those previous products/services?" Again, the customer is not only clarifying in their own mind what they don't want, they are also telling you the flaws of the competition. Much better that this comes from the customer than from you. Any time you point out your competitor's faults you expose yourself to three negatives: 1) the customer disagrees with your negative assessment; in which case they no longer trust your judgment. 2) Even if you're right about your competitor's weakness the customer may not appreciate you running-down the competition behind their backs. It looks like a cheap-shot. 3) The customer feels like they made a bad decision in the past and that you think they aren't smart. Not a good thing. That's why it's so much more effective when your customer points out the weaknesses. The fact that you already encouraged them to point out the strengths makes them feel less guilty about talking about the weaknesses. That's one reason why the order that the SWOT questions are asked creates such positive feelings.

O - Opportunities

"What would be a perfect product/service solution in your mind?" With this question, you are asking the customer to dream big. People like this. It's almost like asking, "If you won the lottery, what would you do with the money?" When you ask this question, you are creating an emotional connection to the product that is exactly right for them, because they are creating the product in their mind. Does it get any better than that?

T - Threats

"What's prevented you from buying this perfect product/service in the past?" After the customer imagines the perfect solution, now is the time for reality. At this point in the buying conversation, the customer tells you their limits and buying objections. They share their budget, or time constraints, or that they weren't aware that this type of solution existed. In other words, the customer tells you what you need to know to help them make buying decision that's tailor made for them.

What fascinates me about using SWOT is during this entire part of conversation, you haven't begun to talk about your products/services. Instead, you're focused on the customer's unique needs. When you do this with the customer they realize that you actually get them. When you cross that threshold, you're no longer a pushy salesperson - you're a trusted advisor.





Crucial Questions to Superior Sales - To learn more about this author, visit Jeff Mowatt's Website.

Like this article? Share it with your friends

Article Tags:

Article Feedback
 Article Feedback No article feedback found.
  Leave Your Feedback
article feedback

Article Feedback
David Acheson
David Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns.  David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website

Dave Kurlan
Dave Kurlan is a best-selling author, top-rated speaker and thought leader on sales development.  He is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website

Leanne Hoagland-Smith
Are your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website

Linda Richardson
Linda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website

Kalena Jordan
Kalena Jordan is the search industry’s first agony aunt, here to answer your tricky questions about search engines. Kalena is Co-Founder and Director of Studies at Search Engine College, an online training institution offering instructor-led short courses and downloadable self-study courses in Search Engine Optimization and other Search Engine Marketing subjects. She’s been marketing websites online since 1996 and blogging about search since 2002. For her full bio, view Kalena’s Linked In Profile. When not working, Kalena likes to go geocaching, hiking or fishing. She also plays a mean darabuka. - Visit Kalena Jordan'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

Anne Barr
Anne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website


To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us.

 About The Author


Jeff Mowatt
(Visit Jeff's Website)
Jeff Mowatt, B.Comm., CSP is an award-winning professional speaker, customer service strategist, and bestselling author of, Becoming a Service Icon in 90 Minutes a Month. His Influence with Ease® column has been syndicated and featured in over 200 business publications including Canadian Manager, HR Reporter, and Commerce and Industry. He has worked with thousands of leaders, professionals, and front-line employees on enhancing the service and sales culture and boosting results with customers. Jeff heads his own training company and his clients include some of the most admired corporations in North America including: Home Depot, Shell Canada, CIBC, and WestJet. The Influence with Ease® approach that Jeff shares with audiences is effortlessly professional. Spiced with humour and dramatic examples, audiences discover how to engender more trust, feel more motivated, and enhance influence with just about anyone. It's powerful, and it's profitable. To obtain your own copy of his book or to inquire about engaging Jeff for your team, visit www.jeffmowatt.com or call 1-800-JMowatt (566-9288).


Jeff Mowatt is a Platinum author on EvanCarmichael.com
 About The Author

 Author Blog
 Author Blog

 Video
 Video

 Free Downloads


Jeff Mowatt's

Complete
List Of
Sales
Articles

Name
Email
If you enjoyed this article, get Jeff Mowatt's Complete List of Sales Articles For FREE!

More Jeff Mowatt
Keeping Customers when Things Go Wrong Five keys to turning upset customers into fans
When Talking to Strangers
Speed Kills The service standard that does more harm than good
Grand Intentions to Greater Sales
Telus Leadership Lesson in Brand Mismanagement
Buying Trends the Shift to HassleFree
The Shocking Truth about your Image Four bizarre reasons customers may not like you
Are your People Problems really the issue Take this miniquiz
How not to Plan your Companys Future 5 common mistakes when identifying customer needs
Are you too Busy to be Productive Why customers shouldnt be your first priority
 Free Downloads


 
 
 


Evan Elite Authors
George Ludwig  
Dianne Crampton  
Dave Kurlan  
Evan Elite Authors

Become An Author
Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details.
Become An Author

Evan's Latest Video
Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media
Evan's Latest Video




Evan's 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:
Evan`s Newsletter

Free Downloads
Exit Interview Document Icon Exit Interview Document
Business Coaching Icon Business Coaching
Great Sales Fallacies Icon Great Sales Fallacies
FREE Twitter Background in PSD Icon FREE Twitter Background in PSD
Disappearing Leader Icon Disappearing Leader
Free Downloads - Complete List

Entrepreneur Tools and Guides
Write The Press Release
Write The PR
Press Release Builder
 
Top 50 Geek Business Blogs
Top 50 Geek Business Blogs
Top 50 Geek Business Blogs
 
Entrepreneur Tools and Guides

SEO For Africa
SEO For Africa
Samson Adeniyi Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria,
Samson Adeniyi
Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
SEO For Africa

If I Were A Startup...
Julie Mitchell, $470k to $1.1 Mil in 2 years
Julie Mitchell
$470k to $1.1 Mil in 2 years
Chris Nguyen, 30+ national clients on $0
Chris Nguyen
30+ national clients on $0
If I Were A Startup... - Complete List

Famous Entrepreneurs
Ben Cohen Jerry Greenfield, Ben & Jerry's
Madam C.J. Walker, Madam C.J. Walker
Madam C.J. Walker
Madam C.J. Walker
Famous Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneur Advice
Timothy Ferriss, 4 Hour Work Week
Timothy Ferriss
4 Hour Work Week
Paul Kedrosky, Venture Capitalist
Paul Kedrosky
Venture Capitalist
Entrepreneur Advice - Complete List

Popular Articles
(Premium Authors)

     Business Cards - Small but Mighty
By Lillian D. Bjorseth
     "Thank You" is an Ongoing Process
By Lillian D. Bjorseth
     Build a New Kind of Wealth - Social Capital
By Lillian D. Bjorseth

Have A Suggestion?

Toronto Salsa Classes / Toronto Salsa Lessons 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 and Sean Combs!

Have A Suggestion?

More Evan Carmichael
More Information