Asking the right questions is an important part of the sales courtship process. Follow deals through successfully from start to finish with the help of a simple CRM and sales tracking app like Base.
Most sales people know that they should ask prospects and customers questions during a sales conversation. However, during my tenure as a sales trainer, I have noticed that many people tend to ask cliché questions.
Here are 10 of the most common cliché sales questions that prevent you from improving your results.
1. “What keeps you up at night?”
This is one of the most cliché sales questions you can ask that does little to establish credibility. This question may have been effective 10 or 15 years ago but in today’s business world key decision makers expect you to have an idea of their potential problems before you contact them.
2. “What do you know about our company?”
A participant in one of my sales training workshops proudly claimed that this was one of his favorite questions to ask because he felt that it gave him a perfect opportunity to tell prospects about his company.
However, people aren’t really interested in learning about your company. They want to know how you can help them solve a problem.
3. “Is price your only objection?”
I once dealt with a sales person who spent 30 minutes talking about his solution (without asking me any discovery questions). He followed up with me a few weeks later and when I said I was not going to use his service, the first words out of his mouth were “Was it price?” This was particularly interesting because we had never discussed price.
Price is a factor in every sale; however it is seldom the primary reason people make a buying decision.
4. “If I could get you a better price would you buy?”
If you have failed to demonstrate the value of your solution or offering, there is very little chance a prospect will buy your product even if you do give her a better price. This is a poor way to sell and it actually hurts your credibility.
5. “Are you the decision maker?”
Although it is important to determine if the person you are speaking with has the ability to make a buying decision, this is the not the right question to ask. It is more effective to ask, “Walk me through the decision making process” or “Who do you normally consult with when making decisions of this nature?”
6. “What are your needs?”
People who ask this question tend to be order takers and decision makers expect you to ask much better questions than this. You need to ask high-value, thought-provoking questions that make them think.
7. “If I could wave a magic wand what problem would you like solved?”
This is similar to the first cliché question in this post. You may think it’s cute and that it gets to the heart of the problem; unfortunately, key prospects view it as a weak, feeble question.
8. “Can I explain what makes us different than our competitors?”
Rather than ask this question simply demonstrate through your actions and a sales presentation that has been carefully developed for that particular prospect. When you achieve that you show your prospect how you are different than your competition.
9. “Is saving money important to you?”
This question belongs in the trash. After all, do you really think someone is going to say no? Asking this is akin to saying, “I think you’re stupid” and it really needs to be abolished from any sales person’s repertoire.
10. “Would you like to know the difference between these products?”
A sales person in a car dealership opened the conversation by asking me, “Would you like to know the difference between these two cars?” And I didn’t because one of the vehicles was well beyond my budget.
Instead of asking people this question, take a few moments to gain a clear understanding of what they need and want and then adapt your presentation accordingly. In many cases, you will only have to present one option rather than two.
Sales cliché questions can be avoided, and when you eliminate them from your toolkit, you will stand out from your competition. This will help you close more deals and earn more money.
by Kelley Robertson
http://www.futuresimple.com/
Most sales people know that they should ask prospects and customers questions during a sales conversation. However, during my tenure as a sales trainer, I have noticed that many people tend to ask cliché questions.
Here are 10 of the most common cliché sales questions that prevent you from improving your results.
1. “What keeps you up at night?”
This is one of the most cliché sales questions you can ask that does little to establish credibility. This question may have been effective 10 or 15 years ago but in today’s business world key decision makers expect you to have an idea of their potential problems before you contact them.
2. “What do you know about our company?”
A participant in one of my sales training workshops proudly claimed that this was one of his favorite questions to ask because he felt that it gave him a perfect opportunity to tell prospects about his company.
However, people aren’t really interested in learning about your company. They want to know how you can help them solve a problem.
3. “Is price your only objection?”
I once dealt with a sales person who spent 30 minutes talking about his solution (without asking me any discovery questions). He followed up with me a few weeks later and when I said I was not going to use his service, the first words out of his mouth were “Was it price?” This was particularly interesting because we had never discussed price.
Price is a factor in every sale; however it is seldom the primary reason people make a buying decision.
4. “If I could get you a better price would you buy?”
If you have failed to demonstrate the value of your solution or offering, there is very little chance a prospect will buy your product even if you do give her a better price. This is a poor way to sell and it actually hurts your credibility.
5. “Are you the decision maker?”
Although it is important to determine if the person you are speaking with has the ability to make a buying decision, this is the not the right question to ask. It is more effective to ask, “Walk me through the decision making process” or “Who do you normally consult with when making decisions of this nature?”
6. “What are your needs?”
People who ask this question tend to be order takers and decision makers expect you to ask much better questions than this. You need to ask high-value, thought-provoking questions that make them think.
7. “If I could wave a magic wand what problem would you like solved?”
This is similar to the first cliché question in this post. You may think it’s cute and that it gets to the heart of the problem; unfortunately, key prospects view it as a weak, feeble question.
8. “Can I explain what makes us different than our competitors?”
Rather than ask this question simply demonstrate through your actions and a sales presentation that has been carefully developed for that particular prospect. When you achieve that you show your prospect how you are different than your competition.
9. “Is saving money important to you?”
This question belongs in the trash. After all, do you really think someone is going to say no? Asking this is akin to saying, “I think you’re stupid” and it really needs to be abolished from any sales person’s repertoire.
10. “Would you like to know the difference between these products?”
A sales person in a car dealership opened the conversation by asking me, “Would you like to know the difference between these two cars?” And I didn’t because one of the vehicles was well beyond my budget.
Instead of asking people this question, take a few moments to gain a clear understanding of what they need and want and then adapt your presentation accordingly. In many cases, you will only have to present one option rather than two.
Sales cliché questions can be avoided, and when you eliminate them from your toolkit, you will stand out from your competition. This will help you close more deals and earn more money.
by Kelley Robertson
http://www.futuresimple.com/
Δεν υπάρχουν σχόλια:
Δημοσίευση σχολίου