As a sales person, sales manager and sales development expert I read lots of books on lots of topics. The one I'm talking about today is one that my Linda is reading and has been quoting to me for the last couple of months. I decided to pick it up and thus the post for today: Sale Guru. In the book, "The Big Questions" by, Lama Surya Das, the Dalai Lama has said: "If you want to be wisely selfish, care for others". Wow, now I know why the Dalai is the
Dalai and I am a sales development expert.
So maybe I'm the Sales Guru of sales because for years we instructed sales people (go to recommended reading list) to focus 'caring for the client'. Forget about what you need and what your company wants you selling. Focus on 'what is the compelling issue that would cause someone to take action? In other words, we have this '1st base' appointment, but what has to happen to get to 2nd, 3rd and eventually score a run / making a sale (Dave Kurlan's Baseline Selling)? Which leads me to The Big Questions in Sales. Before I get to them go to this great article by Linda Richardson about asking Tough Questions. Here are Questions you should always ask (assuming you are meeting with the decision maker) on the first call.
1. Why are you taking time out of your business schedule just to meet with me? (Assume you didn't beg your way into the appointment but you got invited instead)
2. (Assume the prospect gives you an answer that 'sounds' like a problem) Why is that a problem?
3. How long has this problem been a problem?
4. What have you done to try and make the problem go away? (Assume they give you an answer that describes something they've tried)
5. And that is working? (They will say 'no' or they would not have invited you in to see them)
6. What is it that you or someone like me could do for you? (Assume they say, 'fix it', or something like that)
7. I"m not sure that I can because I don't know enough yet. But there is one thing that I need to know and that you need to address before you go any further with me, your current provider or anyone else, can I share that with you? (Yes)
8. Is this problem really bad enough, compelling enough for you to have to invest time, money and resources into in order to get a different outcome that you are getting today?
We can stop right there for now. If you get anything other than a 'yes, I have to fix this, this is compelling enough for me to invest in', then you don't have a prospect. There isn't anything else to focus on. You can ask questions until you both get sick and tired of playing cat and mouse but the reality is:
- You have to care enough about them and their time to tell them that until the problem or desired outcome becomes compelling enough to take action then there isn't anything to do.
- You have to be wisely selfish enough to realize that if you move forward you are wasting your time and the time and resources of the company or companies you represent
- You have to care enough about this relationship that you've been nurturing to be honest about the first decision they have to make: Do they have to fix the problem? You can't worry about whether you will get the business, or miss an opportunity. As David Sandler used to say, 'no pain, no prospect'.
Think about your last sales call and your next one. Think about how you conducted the last sales call and how it might have changed, been better if you asked these questions and responded accordingly (Accordingly means, you didn't say much other than ask the next question on the list). Now imagine, see the next sales call. Feel yourself asking these questions. Trust that you will truly be focused on your client and the outcome will be a win win no matter what happens.
Go in peace.