How to Make A Sale by Making Your Questions Count

Sales Presentation Expert and Executive Speech Coach - Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE
Sales Presentation Expert, Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker, and Executive Speech Coach – Patricia Fripp

This is a follow up to my post on how you can solve “who cares?” syndrome in your sales presentations. We discussed the importance of asking good questions in order to discover how a client can benefit from your product or service. With that, here is a strategic approach to several aspects of asking questions within the sales process—and how you can use questions to move the process forward.

Basic Openers. The first priority is to learn as much as you can about pain points and what the current environment is like. For example:

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How You Can Solve “Who Cares?” Syndrome in Your Sales Presentations

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Sales Presentation Expert and Executive Speech Coach – Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE

Selling isn’t about you or your products, it’s about how the prospect will benefit.

To be persuasive, you need to appeal to the other person’s rational self-interest. People make decisions for their reasons, not yours. Here are some quick reminders to help them make those decisions in your favor.

Forget your company history or industry jargon, which might be the biggest “who cares?” of all. You have heard the expression, “A confused mind always says no.” Here is a Frippicism: “A bored mind gets distracted and cuts your meeting short.”

Use a phrase like, “Based on 15 years of helping clients of your size business, I have learned…”

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What is the Difference Between a Keynote Speech and a Seminar or Breakout Session?

The first President of the National Speakers Association Bill Gove. He said, “The seminar comes from the discipline of teaching and the keynote comes from the discipline of show business.”

Another Past NSA President Don Thoren said, “As a keynote speaker, you are the star; in training or a seminar, you have to make the audience the star.”

One more Past NSA President…me… Patricia Fripp says, “When you deliver a keynote speech, you must be committed to a higher caliber of performance.”

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Speakers Need To Know What Comedian Phyllis Diller Can Teach Them

Executive Speech Coach and Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker, Patricia Fripp (Photo Courtesy of Richard Mayer Photography)
Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker, Patricia Fripp (Photo courtesy of Richard Mayer Photography)

John Palmer was the founder of the National Speakers Bureau and before that a well-known band leader. Brian Palmer, his son and now the President of the NSB is known as one of the most creative and ethical professionals in our speaking industry. As part of a recent interview with Brian these were his closing remarks:

“..here’s one of my favorite stories from my dad. He worked as a bandleader with legendary comedienne Phyllis Diller, who was constantly working on her craft. He’d be off on the side of the stage, and she asked him to look at his watch and write down every time there was a laugh, and measure the amount of time between laughs. He believed that speakers should have the same understanding of their presentation flow.

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Want to Increase Sales? Remember, It is Not Your Client’s Job to Remember You

It is not your client’s job to remember you; it is your obligation and responsibility to make sure you are unforgettable.

Here is a great action step for you to take… Call your five best clients – those whom you currently use as references. Even if you leave a voicemail, say, “Bob, I never get tired of telling the story about how we (fill in the name of an important project you worked together on). Would you mind telling me in your words what your experience was? Did we reach or exceed your expectations? Did we come in under budget? With your permission, I’d like to make an appointment and record your comments. Can I use you as an example in my sales presentations? Let me know when we can talk.”

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This Premier Learning Event in the Speaking Industry Only Happens Once a Year… February 22-23, 2014 Las Vegas

Patricia Fripp delivering a keynote speech
Patricia Fripp Delivering a Keynote Speech at Lady and The Champs 2013

Lady and the Champs How to Speaking Conference 2014

February 22-23, 2014 at the Palms Hotel, Las Vegas

Presentations will include Executive Speech Coach and Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker, Patricia Fripp sharing her expertise.

Keynote – Under the Magnifying Glass: From Good to Great on Steroids

In this entertaining, thought-provoking keynote speech you will learn four specific techniques that will guarantee both you and your presentations are memorable.  You will understand how to:

  • Present in a way that your audience can better visualize what you are saying
  • Understand how to review past presentations to improve them
  • Add clarity and comprehension to benefit your audience.
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How to Keep Your Audience From Going to Sleep

Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE - Executive Speech Coach & Hall of Fame Keynote
Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE – Executive Speech Coach & Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker

What to do when you’re losing your audience…

Are there a lot of yawns and sleepy eyes in your audience? Use these tactics to pep up your talk and keep your listeners’ attention.

Audience members’ attention will fade over time unless you take specific steps to keep them engaged.

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How to Follow Up with Potential Clients – Give Benefits to Earn Business

We all have to discover the best way to follow up with our leads.

  • “What is your sales process?”
  • “How do your leads come in?”
  • “What do you do with your leads?”
  • “How do you follow with prospects?”
  • “What process do you use to get to a formal presentation?”

An example of my process with a potential client who is in need of executive speech coaching:

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How to Be Creative in Our Modern World

On Wednesday, August 21, 2013 the members of the Golden Gate Breakfast Club in San Francisco will host Alfonso Montuori speaking about how to be creative in the modern world. Alfonso is one of my friends, first introduced to me by my brother Robert Fripp. In you live in San Francisco and like to get up early to have your mind stimulated we will be at the Marines Memorial Club on the 21st at 7:10am. Breakfast is 7:30am program at 8:00am.

Enjoy this preview:

EXPLORING CREATIVITY IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM

Leonardo. Newton. Einstein. Van Gogh. Picasso. The lone genius used to represent the epitome of human creativity. In the 21st century, things have changed.

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