QUESTIONS WE RARELY ASK,
BUT PROBABLY SHOULD
DAVID RUBINSTEIN
EDITED BY
JIM OLSON
How many times have you left a sales call and said to yourself “why didn’t I ask that when I was in there?” Or, after a meeting de-brief, kick yourself for the same reason?
Consider the following as part of your “New Year’s Sales Resolutions.”
Many Sellers make in-person sales calls a priority when it makes more time-management sense to do the call on the phone. We can do a bit of qualifying on the phone and then, if appropriate, use…
“How much sense would it make for us to meet in person?”
There are times when I feel like I’m “working too hard” on a call. I can take a breather by asking…
“What questions do you have for me?”
I believe that asking this at least one (1) time every call makes all the sense in the world. It allows us to confirm that what we’re hearing is what we’re understanding. And, vice versa…
“What do you mean?”
To make certain you can sell in the best possible environment, and to extend respect to the Buyer, ask either of these at the top of every phone call…
“Is this a good time or bad time to talk?”
“How convenient is it to talk now?”
Try this for in-person sales calls…
“How much time do we have today?”
If you don’t know someone, asking for a cell number can be sketchy. Try this…
“What’s the best number to call when she’s not/he’s not/you’re not in the office?”
Always establish a “next step” in the Sales process that you can control…
“When do you want to hear back from me?”
“What’s my next step?”
“If I don’t hear back from you first, when I should be in touch?”
To determine – and/or – confirm the decision-making process…
“In addition to you, who else will be involved in making the final decision?”
When asking for the order…
“At what point will you be able to approve things?”
When you’ve just about “had it” and are uncertain whether it makes sense to continue with this prospect…
“If you were me, how much more time should I spend pursuing this account?”
“ From 0-10, what is the likelihood that we’ll be able to make this happen?”
Here’s a great question near the end of a sales call. Be ready for a very interesting response.
“What one (1) question should I have asked, but didn’t?”
In general, begin asking one (1) more question than you normally feel comfortable asking. Like any change, it will feel strange at first, and then begin to feel very comfortable.
That’s it for 2011. Hope it’s been a super Selling year for you. Talk to you in 2012.
Have a warm and wonderful remainder of the Holiday Season.
How’s that sound?
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