| In our Track Selling workshops, we teach that in selling, "Questions are more powerful than statements."
During training sessions, we emphasize that the Track Dialogue - our blueprint for the seven steps of a sale - include "checkpoint questions" that bring psychological impact.
We give credit for the following to our friend and mentor Roy Chitwood. Roy's deep thought on the science and psychology of selling brought a wisdom - bordering on genius - that he baked into Track Selling.
Here's three highly polished questions, followed by the purpose for each.
- Gain consensus with prospects
- Relieve Fears, Uncertainties, or Doubts (FUDs) prospects may harbor before asking them to buy
- Invite them to buy
Purposes
1. After conducting a thorough qualification of a prospect's needs, wants, and desires, pause before proceeding, and ask, "Is that correct?"
Don't assume that you have identified all the important points. Don't assume that you're correct in your assessment.
By asking the prospect, "Is that correct", you give prospects opportunity to either tell you you're correct or add something that wasn't identified. By asking them to verify your understanding, now they know that you know what their situation is, and you can proceed with confidence.
2. After you've presented your solution to fill their needs, ask "Do you have any questions?"
There may be lingering unaddressed needs that are important to the prospect. There may be misunderstood needs that were misaligned by your solution.
This is an opportunity to invite further discussion with prospects before asking them to buy, which immediately follows this point in the sales process.
3. The following is the only phrase in the entire Track Selling process that we encourage salespeople to memorize and use word-for-word.
"If we ___________________, can you think of any reason why we shouldn't ____________________?"
EXAMPLE: "If we provide an initial delivery of our products by the end of next week, can you think of any reason why we shouldn't set it up?"
You're simply asking, if we're willing to do business with you, are you willing to do business with us, phrased in softer language.
The desired answer to the question is "no". Why? Because it's easier for a prospect to agree to buy by telling a salesperson no then yes. That's why the closing question is crafted as it is.
Thanks, Roy!
Good luck and good selling.
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