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Busting Your Assumptions: Effective Probing Techniques for Sales Professionals
Do you find yourself making these kinds of assumptions? - "I lost the sale because my price was too high." - "I know exactly what my customer wants." - "I can't hold a member of my team accountable for the delays in our project because she won't like me if I do." - "I don't delegate often enough because I know I can do the work better myself. " These assumptions may be correct. However, they also might only be partially right or they might be absolute bunk. The problem with assumptions is that we are certain they are true. We unquestioningly believe, for example, that if we ask a customer about their needs, we look stupid (shouldn't I instinctively know their needs?). Also, making assumptions can easily lead to a negative outcome in our dealings with customers. For instance, I go nuts when a salesperson starts solving my problems when they haven't asked me about my situation. I know I am not alone here. Listen to yourself this week as a mini-test. If you are doing more talking than asking, you are probably making a lot of assumptions. If your opinion is front and center and you are not curious about what someone else is thinking, then you have definitely crossed the border into assumption-land. One way to stop making assumptions is to ask a lot more questions. Here are five powerful questions that can help you check out whether an assumption is true, and, in the process, connect more effectively with your customers. 1. "Tell me more." 2. "What do you need?" 3. "What about this is important to you?" 4. "How will this make a difference in your work? Then confirm your understanding by asking: 5. "So, if I understand you correctly, what you are saying is Right?" Notice that you cannot get a one-word answer to the above questions. The art of selling is to have customers explain, at length, what their situation is, and what they want to do about it. It is not about you blabbering on about your products and services. To develop the asking-questions muscle, start your questions with the following key words: What, why, tell me, describe, explain. To build muscle, you'll need to practice everywhere. Look for at least one opportunity a day to engage someone in conversation. You can pick anyone: family, friends, customers, colleagues, peers, superiors, strangers, cabbies, waiters, or the guy next to you on the bus. Try to pick a topic that the individual can address for at least five to ten minutes, and try to keep your opinion to yourself, even if you have strong views. Just ask more questions, and see where the conversation takes you. Have fun with it! You will be taking steps toward opening up your mind, recognizing the assumptions you make, and, most importantly, working with customers in a way that they value. --- This article may be reprinted in its entirety with express written permission from Nicki Weiss. The reprint must include the section "About the Author". About the Author Nicki Weiss is an internationally recognized Certified Professional Sales Management Coach, Master Trainer, and workshop leader. Since 1992, Nicki has trained, certified, and/or coached more than 6,000 business executives, sales managers and salespeople. Nicki guarantees increased sales performance when sales managers become better sales coaches. Sign up for her FREE monthly e-zine, Something for NothingTM, which has powerful tips and techniques for sales managers who are ready to make this transformation. Sign up at http://www.saleswise.ca You can email her at nicki@saleswise.ca or call 416-778-4145.
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Coaching Sales Performance and Motivation: How to Get Your Edge Back Performance and motivation are like chocolate & peanut butter; the combination is better than either one alone. Motivation feeds successful sales performance, which in turn generates increased motivation, which encourages performance, and so goes the synergism of our days. Until one day... Resistance Training for Sales People What was the quickest rejection you ever got? 2 minutes into your call? 1 minute? 15 seconds, 3 seconds? Marketing Vs. Sales Marketing and sales co-exist and work in tandem beautifully if they are allowed to remain as separate entities coming together to achieve results:DRIVING REVENUE!!Marketing = SIZZLE ------ Sales = CLOSINGThe misunderstanding that marketing and sales are the same causes a downward spiral of events. Sales staff and managers become frustrated, productivity drops, turnover is high, and company image suffers. This "cycle of misunderstanding" perpetuates itself over and over again resulting in lost revenue.STOP THE CYCLE OF MISUNDERSTANDING!HOW?1) Understand that there is a difference between marketing and sales. What's The Difference? Marketing is associated with advertising, event planning, community involvement, getting your company name "out there", creating credibility, normally a "people pleaser" personality, with the primary focus on lead generation.Sales is associated with knowledge and understanding of the value of a lead, understanding the "selling cycle", a well documented sales process (and knowing how to use it), great qualifying questions, developing an atmosphere of trust with customers, listening more than talking, asking for the sale or the next step, great follow-up skills.The actual skill sets (not personalities) for each of these areas of expertise is different. Most companies evaluate potential sales staff on personalities NOT skills. A critical component in the hiring process should include a skill based evaluation. 2) When recruiting, define well in advance what position you are hiring for sales or marketing? Most companies' need both as a team working together.3) Eliminate untrained or unskilled staff from being involved in the recruitment process. The misconception about sales and marketing being one and the same runs rampant in all industries in all staff involved in the hiring process.Solutions:1) Develop a company profile to differentiate skill sets.2) Create a list of key questions designed to delineate the difference in skill sets of the sales person vs. the marketing person.3) Provide appropriate training to anyone involved in the hiring process to help them understand the differences to assure you are hiring the right person for the right position. Change Takes Time I am writing this at the Philadelphia Airport on my way back from meeting with one of my clients. Three weeks ago, we offered a training program for their staff in basic selling skills. She reported that they saw an immediate increase in sales after the program. Since these are all telemarketers, she listened in on their calls to see what had changed. To her pleasure they were asking good, open-ended questions. They were taking time to listen to the client's responses and using their comments to match them with the right product. They were even closing right at the correct time. She was thrilled. 12 Sure-Fire Steps To Improve Your Retail Sales The purpose of any business is to bring in customers, and it can only be accomplished through marketing. If your cash registers don't ring, something is wrong and you had better find out what is wrong fast. Because in today's competitive retail world... getting results is what counts. Why Salespeople Fail Since 1990 I have focused on the three primary barriers which affect the performance of salespeople:- The Makings of a Salesman Salesmanship is the force that moves business. Without it all business would be at a stand-still. Just being able to sell does not complete the definition of salesmanship. A fraudulent person may be able to sell you a piece of swamp land, but because they were able to sell the worthless piece of property to you, does that say they demonstrated salesmanship? Equal Chance of Winning The Sale? Bah! Are you going to win this deal? How One Simple Concept Can Increase Your Sales We all want to belong. As humans we feel the need to fit in somewhere, anywhere. I call it the "herd mentality"... we tend to follow what everyone else is doing. The Business of Closing the Sale Without Killing It You must be able to coordinate your sales talk to service whatever step in the selling process the customer has arrived at in their mind. The First Step to Stress-Free Selling (TM) Step 1: Get Ready - Create a foundation you can build on. This step involves prospecting and pre-call planning. Approach businesses randomly and you will: 1) Call businesses unsuitable for your magazine 2) Who don't believe in advertising and 3) Are unlikely to advertise with you. Then appeal to them by doing homework before m contact. You will make sales more often contacting businesses inclined to advertise with you. Acquired Expertise: Attitude and Confidence "I recommend the 5.8 GHz Digital Phone, because it suits your needs well, provides adequate service for your area, and has the additional capabilities you requested." The sales clerk spoke with confidence, implicating she knew this to be true, and bringing the client into focus with her needs. Her attitude of confidence presented the product well, and the sale completed. Increase Profits from Your Existing Customers An area many businesses fail to recognise as a way to increase profits is by utilising their existing customers. Don't view each sale as a "one-off". Look to build a long term relationship with your customers and entice them to keep coming back. As They Approcah the Finish Line... The Winner Is? Recently, right before I was about to deliver a motivational speech at a sales conference, the Director of Sales took the stage and began talking about the importance of teamwork and how all the reps needed to work more effectively together. At the conclusion of his presentation, he turned to a large flip chart and turned the front page over. You CAN Be a Great Salesperson! When you are in sales, you have the choice to be successful or unsuccessful. The only one to set limits on your income and success is you! A career in sales is a challenge. Use that challenge to motivate and excite you. Meet and beat that challenge! Nine Competencies of the Complete Sales Professional Have you ever tried to explain to someone what you actually do as part of the sales profession? I'm talking about what you do, not what your company does or what your value proposition is, but what YOU do day in and day out as a sales professional? Sales Letters - How to Write Them You could just send out your brochure to potential customers but it's much better to personalise your mailing with a well written sales letter. Grrr! Why Arent I Making SALES?! Selling online can be very difficult, more difficult than in the 3D world because you do not get any personal contact with your customer. People cannot just browse like they do in a store, they cannot offer feedback, and it is hard to build and maintain trust throughout the entire online sales process. What compounds this difficulty is the fact that most online marketers have absolutely no experience in the field of advertising and sales. Value Add Negotiating for Sales Professionals Imagine this scenario. You are a sales representative for Baker distributing. One of your long-time customers, Albertson Metals, operates a mill that produces high nickel alloy ingots. Each year, this mill purchases approximately $500,000 worth of MRO products such as bar conditioning wheels, flap wheels, grinding belts, cutoff wheels, steel shot and grit, and other products for the mill's laboratories. Unfortunately, you are usually able to obtain only about 30% of this business. The Unmentioned KEY to Selling PEOPLE DO BUSINESS WITH PEOPLE THEY KNOW, LIKE, & TRUST. PERIOD!
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