Happy Thanksgiving to all our readers. We are thankful for your readership and your comments and interaction on this blog!
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In many ways, questions are at the heart of the selling process. Great sellers ask great questions. Mediocre sellers don't.
Here are 25 great sales questions. While not perfect for every selling scenario, each is perfect at the right time:
1. What else should I be asking you that I haven't?
2. Why did you call us today instead of last month or next month?
3. Who do you know that might be interested in talking with me about my widgets?
4. What brings you into the store today?
5. Would you please name the one thing that is most important to you in deciding which company to buy from?
6. Yes, I'll check our stock. If we do have one in stock, should I reserve it for you?
7. When we meet next week, is there any reason you wouldn't be ready to move ahead with your purchase?
8. You've gotten other quotes for this project. Other than price, what do you think is the biggest difference between our quotes and their quotes?
9. Do you want to buy it?
10. I'm curious; Why do you say that?
11. What else?
12. When you find the right widget, how will you know?
13. Who, besides yourself, will be using this widget?
14. I can understand you need to talk to your husband, after all, I'm a husband, too! Should we call him?
15. How come?
16. To save you from having to make extra trips during this hectic holiday season, what else should we look for while you're here in the store?
17. Just so I can make sure my notes are up-to-date, what else might you be needing in the next year or so?
18. If you're comfortable with our widgets and with our price and with me, will you be ready to place your order today?
19. How does everything sound so far - am I on the right track?
20. What was it that you liked and also didn't like about your old widget?
21. When you started out shopping for a new widget, what was your biggest concern?
22. Now that you've shopped for a new widget at several stores, what's your biggest concern now?
23. How can I make shopping for your new widget an easy process for you?
24. Who can I thank for referring you to our company?
25. Now that you're a customer and you've been through the purchasing process with me, what suggestions can you offer me?
If you like this post (or don't) please click on "comments" below and share your comment. Skip Anderson is the Founder and President of Selling to Consumers Sales Training. He works with companies and individuals who sell to consumers in B2C, retail, in-home selling, in the financial, real estate, and insurance markets, and other consumer-selling industries.
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Good questions. Some great ones, too. Of course, intent is everything. If a salesperson appears focused on closing the sale versus focused on providing a positive outcome for the prospect or customer, any of these questions will come across poorly to a prospect.
"Just so I can make sure my notes are up-to-date, what else might you be needing in the next year or so?"
If all you're after is the sale, that question will be painfully transparent to your prospect. There's no empathy.
The two best conversation starters from the list can demonstrate genuine concern--if used the right way:
"When you started out shopping for a new widget, what was your biggest concern?" and
"How can I make shopping for your new widget an easy process for you?"
Two articles I wrote on this topic:
"Strategic Questions Will Uncover Strategic Opportunities,"
http://www.customerthink.com/blog/strategic_questions_strategic_opportunities
and Just the Facts? Sales Discovery Requires More than Asking 'Killer Questions.
http://www.customerthink.com/blog/just_the_facts_sales_discovery_requires_more_than_asking_killer_questions
Posted by: Andrew Rudin | 30 November 2009 at 09:31 AM
Good to see this all and learned a lot here.. thanks and This is also excellent advice when taking a phone job interview as well...
Posted by: r4 dsi | 05 December 2009 at 03:14 AM