Top 5 questions to ask

What are the top five questions to ask your client?

When you are asking the right questions it:

1. Demonstrates to that client that you are seeking to understand them- you care more about them that banging on about your own ‘wares’
2. Shows that client that you are professional, setting you up to be the ‘trusted advisor’ the ‘thought leader’ in fact
3. It stands you apart from any competitor – no one else will be as interested in their business
4. It gives you information, information means you now know them and what they are after,

Also, when asking – be present. Listen. Everything they need, everything you need to know is about to be discussed. Ensure you are ‘present’ and are aware.

Watch body language, tone, emphasis, ‘hovering’ over info, thinking back to what happened before, gesturing, pondering, getting excited as they tell you key facts, being thoughtful as they recall past facts – on and on this goes when you are listening.

The KEY underpinning question is this – STOP TALKIG AND START LISTENING! It’s our tagline for a reason!

1. Walk me through:  ‘walking’ through means they will explain the inners of what they need. Not just ‘top line’. Great to ask those that are ‘high chunks’ (just give a summary) and introverts (those that don’t want to ‘tell or talk’).
2. Why?  This is probably the stand alone best question ever. (Asked in a inquisitive and caring fashion of course)! Why means you know the thinking behind that decision. You get them to run their belief. You now know why they do what they do or have purchased what they purchased previously. A great insight. (if you don’t ask ‘why’ you are merely guessing).
3. What’s your best case: This is a great question as you are taking them to ‘best case scenario’. With this question you are listening to what they really want, what ‘ideal’ looks like to them.
4. What else is happening?: this is where your brilliant Business Development mind kicks in. the reps who goes and gets the business verses the one who asks ‘what else is happening’ and is head up like a meerkat.
5. What do you need from us? I love this. Asking ‘how can we help’ or ‘what do you need from us’ or ‘what were you expecting from us’ is a great insight to what they feel you can bring to the table. Knowing this means you can build on it – or recognise they only see you as part of the solution (when, maybe, you can be all of it).

 

Our graduates listing the top questions they are asking their clients to elicit information.

 

Learn more

1. Sales Leadership program: for leaders covering 22 units (series of 4 at a time) guiding you through everything you need to know to run a proactive, driven, highly successful team> learn a great deal about personality types! >> chat to us
2. Watch the Sales Leadership webinar recording:

Questions! Growth! We live, breathe, sweat (hmm!) and love talking commercial growth to help our clients experience the results they want in sales, business, mindset, driving performance and success for themselves and their teams.

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Call us on 02 9188 5253 or 03 9088 3382 or drop us a line at team@smarterselling.com.au or me directly at Charmaine@smarterselling.com.au

Piece written by Charmaine Keegan,  author of over 20 eBooks, is a sought-after guest speaker, panellist, and keynote. She is a Certified Trainer Extended Disc System, of Situational Leadership, of NLP (how we operate), Hypnotherapy (unconscious communication) and Timeline Therapy (recognising your beliefs about sales and money – and recognising that of your customer). She has studied the psychology of human behaviour and is considered an absolute authority and true expert on sales techniques. She has ‘walked the walk‘ so her content, programs and key notes are highly practical and focused on results.

Smarter Selling is sales and mindset coaching for high performing leaders and teams