To be powerful and persuasive, keep your sales conversations focused on your clients’ concerns – not on the product or service you provide. Ask the right questions to understand your clients’ concerns. Don Hutson explains how here – plus, enjoy this FrippVT Sales Series video of the two of us discussing how to get amazing results when you sell value.
How to Increase Sales by Asking Great QuestionsBy Don Hutson, CSP, CPAE, Best selling author
The first issue with asking prospective clients questions is: Do YOU have the inclination to do so? Many people go right into a discussion of their capabilities or products, their company, etc. without enough “discovery” taking place.
Consider this; anyone who goes into a presentation without performing some needs-analysis first is NOT a professional!
Enjoy this video conversation with Patricia Fripp and Don Huston.
The next question for us to consider is: Are we asking good questions that are relevant? Gone are the days when we asked customers “Do you need anything today?” The more creative and in-depth the question, the more you can expect an in-depth the answer. Here are five specific examples of the type of questions we might ask:
- Competitive Leverage Questions:“In your annual review meeting with your existing vendor, did they put new ideas on the table for performance improvement or cutting edge solutions to your problems?”
- Front-loaded Open-ended Questions: “In light of your industries improvement trends, how do you plan to alter your inventory counts?
- Pain-Point Questions: “You mentioned in our last visit that the quality of product components had become a major issue for your company. Have mandates from upper management come through for fixing these problems as yet?”
- Close-Ended Questions: “When do you anticipate that a decision will be made on the proposal we have on the table with you?”
- Questions on Complex Issues: “I understand there are four people in your decision loop – Do you have specific suggestions as to how I might be able to ask them some needs analysis questions as well?”
Become a student of asking really good questions, and your sales performance and results will soar!
Don Hutson is a #1 NY Times best-selling author with 6,000 presentations to his credit. He has addressed over half of the Fortune 500 Companies, and the author of Selling Value: Key Principles of Value-Based Selling.
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“How to Make A Sale by Making Your Questions Count,” “How You Can Solve ‘Who Cares?’ Syndrome in Your Sales Presentations,” “There Are No Shortcuts to Effective Sales Conversations,” and “Are You Making Any of These 12 Biggest Mistakes Commonly Made in Sales Presentations?” are just a few of the many complimentary resources on Fripp.com to help you with your sales success.
Executive Speech Coach and Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker Patricia Fripp works with individuals and companies who realize that powerful, persuasive presentation skills give them a competitive edge.
