When you ask sales people about questioning techniques most people don’t know how to ask a question that will get their prospect talking. sales academy
Many courses, books, and DVD’s on sales training tell you to start the sales questioning stage with an open question, one that will get the customer talking, and one that makes it difficult for them to answer with one word or a short phrase. But then they go on present that an open question is one that begins with: what, who, where, when, or how. This is absolute rubbish!
You can ask a question that begins with any of these words and the customer can still answer with a short, closed phrase, and in some cases just one word. Here are some examples I have heard while coaching sellers who have been on these sales training courses:
Question by sales person: What would you want from a product that will replace the one that you have now? Answer from customer: To save money.
Question: How often would you use your new one? sales training onlineAnswer: Every weekend.
Question: What do you see as being important about the service? Answer: Reliability.
See what I mean. All questions that start with words that sales trainers say will make it an open question and get your sales prospects talking, and yet the responses are short and closed. They don’t lead to a conversation.
How to Ask Open Sales Questions
Forget all this sales classroom nonsense that says start your open questions with certain words. When you get to the stage of your sales pitch where you want to get your prospects talking about their needs, wants, and desires, use this proven questioning technique:
The first questions should start with phrases such as: Tell me about. Describe for me. Give me a picture. Tell me what you think. Can you give me some details. What would it be like.
When you ask these open questions it is very difficult for the prospect to answer with just a word or a short sentence. If they do try to answer with short or closed replies then they are either a really low responder, or they are trying to get rid of you and you need to start again with a good reason why you are there that will be of benefit to them. sales training
Once you have asked your open question and the prospect has started talking, then you should use the sales questions that start with Who, What, Where, When, and How. These questions should be used to direct the focus of the conversation with your prospect. At this stage of your sales pitch you want to keep the prospect talking. You also want to use sales questioning techniques that are customer friendly and help them relax. Good open questions will do this but closed questions, that can be answered with short replies, will make it feel like an interrogation.