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Top Sales Professionals Ask The Right Questions
Written by: Virden ThorntonArticle Overview: Asking questions is the sign of a true professional. Taking time to discover your client, customer or prospect’s specific needs requires that you ask the right questions and then you listen to what is said.
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Free Download - The "Cold Call Presentations" Myth By Virden Thornton |
Top Sales Professionals Ask The Right Questions
In a survey of 10,000 sales executives conducted for Sales & Marketing Management magazine by Simmons Market Research, participants maintained, seven to one, that top sales representatives are “made,” not born. Many of them went on to suggest that one of the most important skills to be learned by a sales professional is the ability to match products and services to customers’ needs. Asked to define “greatness” in a salesperson, one respondent said, “Foremost, it’s understanding the needs of each customer and, after recognizing each customer’s need, matching it with the appropriate selling approach.” According to these experts, understanding the needs of your customer is one of the keys to sales success and professional greatness.
As a sales trainer and coach I know novice salespeople in the selling industry have difficulty discovering a customer’s needs primarily because they tend to focus on their company's products or services rather than on what’s important to the customer. Taking time to discover your client, customer or prospect’s specific needs requires that you ask the right questions and then you listen to what is said.
Asking the right kinds of questions is a skill you can develop through practice. In fact, asking questions is the sign of a true professional. Without good questioning skills, lawyers would have difficulty defending their clients, doctors could not properly diagnose diseases, scientists would rarely make new discoveries, professors could not effectively teach, detectives could not solve crimes, and salespeople could not effectively serve their customers. Without the ability to question, mankind’s progress would come to a halt!
As you work with your customers, practice asking them open-ended questions that require more than a “yes” or “no” response. These kinds of questions get your, client, customer or prospect talking and sharing information. Open-ended questions begin with words like “WHO, WHERE, WHAT, WHY, WHEN, HOW and, TELL ME. . .” When you get your prospect talking, listen to his words and the messages behind the words. You may discover additional services or products they need that you can provide.
All Sales People Use Scripts
If You Want More Clients...Do it on Purpose
Stop selling! Satisfy the Four Universal needs of Buyers, and They will buy!
First Sell What the Customer Wants; Not What You Want to Win More Sales
You Can Win More Sales by Accepting & Working with Change Than Denying It
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About the Author: Virden Thornton RSS for Virden's articles - Visit Virden's website  Click here to visit Virden's website   Baditude In Sales Words Just Dont Compute Documenting A Bad Experience Can Cost You Sales Three Keys To Attracting And Retaining Customers Or Clients Turning Sales Techniques Into Sales Success |
Related Forum Posts
Online Sales and Marketing vs Traditional
- Hi Evan,
I am noticing that many of the posts in the Sales/Marketing section deal with online marketing, SEM and and SEO and Affiliates. I was wondering if it might be a good idea to separate that section into two; 1) Online Sales and Marketing; 2) Traditional Sales and Marketing
Re: Online Sales and Marketing vs Traditional
- [quote="ltrahan":31w9r2iz]Hi Evan,
I am noticing that many of the posts in the Sales/Marketing section deal with online marketing, SEM and and SEO and Affiliates. I was wondering if it might be a good idea to separate that section into two; 1) Online Sales and Marketing; 2) Traditional Sales and Marketing[/quote:31w9r2iz]
I second the request...
Check References!
- Make sure you always check references before hiring a consultant to help you out!
Also make sure that they have experience in your field? If you're a software company have they ever raised $ for software firms before?
Professionals should have no problem giving a list of references that you can call on.
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]
Re: Contact Information
- Another idea would be to have an email form in place to accept "ticketed" inquires (if people are afraid of spammers seeing their email address). However, I hate how some sites try to persuade you out of sending an email by bombarding you with lists of "Frequently Asked Questions & Answers" as I find they're rarely helpful.
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