Creating Customer Awareness By Asking The Right Questions

Keywords: Correct Customer Service

Open-ended questions are one of the sales professional’s most vital tools. They are ten times more effective if followed up by great listening skills. They help gather information, qualify sales opportunities and establish rapport, trust and credibility. This is critically important since 71% of the buying decision is based on trust between you and the prospect.

Not only will you create customer awareness, you will also be learning more about your client, which will strengthen the relationship.

With such core value to the sales process, the professional leaves little to chance when it comes to owning an arsenal of powerful open-ended questions. These are questions that are answered by more than a simple yes or no. They can begin with: Who, What, Where Why, When, How, Tell, Share…

They are designed to get the prospect or customer directly involved in the sales dialogue. As a sales professional, you will be known or forgotten by the questions you ask. One of your most basic fundamental objectives is to say something to the customer or prospect that will buy you another 30 seconds.

Your ability to create dialogue, get it going and keep it going will be a determining factor in how successful the encounter goes. This is your opportunity to make the prospect feel important by asking thought provoking, empowering questions. Articulating yourself in a clear and effective manner is a skill that must be developed and practiced on a daily basis.

If you haven’t put your favorite questions down in writing, here are some of my favorites in the general area. Write down the one’s you find valuable… commit them to memory… practice them on your drive in to work or role play with an associate. Print them out… tack them up near your phone… pass them on to your sales team. And remember, NEVER speak to a prospect without taking notes! Be Prepared, Be Professional, have a Point, Plan & Purpose.

Information gathering

What prompted you to look into this? What are your expectations in dealing with our organization? How do you see this happening? What is it that you’d like to see accomplished? With whom have you had success in the past? Can you help me understand that a little better? What challenges has that created in the past? What are the best things about your old car?

Qualifying

What do you see as the next action steps? What is your timeline for purchasing a new vehicle? What other points should we know before moving forward? What budget has been established for this? What are your thoughts? Who else is involved in this decision? What would you like to see happen?

Establishing rapport, trust & credibility

How did you get involved in___________? What kind of challenges are you facing? Tell me about your family… What’s the most important priority to you with this? Why? What other issues are important to you? What would you like to see improved? What kind of hobbies or interests do you have?

In summary, we must focus on the customer’s needs, wants and concerns. The two most important sales skills you can have are:

1. Your ability to ask the right questions
2. Listen effectively

Sales people do two things very well that are very bad.

1. Talk too much
2. Bring up product too soon

By understanding and appreciating the power of asking the right questions, you can begin to build your arsenal of questions and you will be on your way to building better relationships and achieving greater sales success. Taken from Tom Hopkin’s book: “Low profile selling, act like a lamb-sell like a lion” Tom gives us an acronym to remember.

N-E-A-D-S What does the prospect have Now? What the prospect Enjoys about what they have now? What would the prospect Alter about what they have now? Who is the Decision-maker? Create a Solution.

“If you want a good, sensible answer, ask a good sensible question”

Brandon Iurato is a professional speaker, author and trainer. He can be reached at biurato@frontiernet.net

Posted by Angie at January 6, 2005 11:04 AM | TrackBack