Avoiding the Stupid Questions

Telesales expert Art Sobczak recently wrote about stupid questions. Check out these shameful examples from Sobczak. You'll want to examine your sales conversations for stupid questions like these.

Sobczak describes a recent trip to Barnes & Noble in which he was offered a discount card at the time of purchase. When he declined the clerk said, "What, don't you like to save money?"

What Sobczak, and your customers heard, was "What, don't you like not being stupid?"

"These questions force a person to answer the way the questioner wants, otherwise it makes the person feel stupid if he does not respond in that way," says Sobczak. "And, of course, that is not conducive to selling, instead putting the person on the defensive."

Here are some other stupid questions to avoid:

Stupid Question: "If I could show you a way to save money, of course you'd want that, wouldn't you?"

What is really heard: "If I could show you a way to avoid being stupid, of course you'd want that, wouldn't you?"

Stupid Question: "How important is money to you?"

What is really heard: "How important is it to you to not be stupid?"

"The main point here is that using stupid questions is, well, stupid," says Sobczak. "What to do instead? Go back and look at how these stupid questions are used. Come up with alternatives to accomplish your goal."

"For example, if we're trying to point out someone will save money, we need a series of questions to help us, and them, see the problem, the costs of the problem, and the result of the solution."

Because, of course you don't want to use stupid questions, do you?

Art Sobczak, President of Business By Phone Inc., specializes in one area only: working with business-to-business salespeople--both inside and outside--designing and delivering content-rich programs that participants begin showing results from the very next time they get on the phone. www.BusinessByPhone.com

Digg This!	Stumble It!

C.O.W. Questioning Strategy

"There's no such thing as a stupid question."

How many times did your parents and teachers tell you that growing up?

I absolutely believe in the importance of questions - especially when you don't understand something - but there's a time and a place for everything. Peppering a busy CEO with questions while they're rushing out the door for a meeting? Not a good idea. Asking questions during a presentation to feel out what the CEO wants from your solution? Good idea.

"Insightful, well-researched, finely tuned questions can establish your credibility and earn the customer's trust," agrees sales trainer Daniel Adams. "The goal is to listen to the customer instead of launching into reasons why the customer should buy. Great questioning - which provides key information needed to qualify, set strategy, and gain credibility - requires research, preparation and great listening skills."

"Questions can also kill - if they're the wrong ones or at the wrong time," says Adams. "Asking too many questions, or asking questions that reveal you have not researched the company can decrease your credibility. Only ask questions that demonstrate you have done your homework and you know something about the customer's business."

For these reasons, Adams has put together the C.O.W. questioning strategy to help you remember the best way to use questions to further the sale:

C - questions about their current situation (e.g., "What do you like about your current situation? What do you dislike?)

O - questions about their optimal situation (e.g., "In a perfect world, if you could design your own solution for your needs and challenges with unlimited funds, what would that situation look like?")

W - questions about the win that the proposed solution would provide for the corporation (e.g., "How does your company or department win if the optimal state is realized?") or for the individual customer (e.g., "Assuming that these needs and challenges are solved, how would things change for you personally?")

"These personal impact questions are the most powerful;" says Adams, "they provide valuable insights about the customer that can be continually referenced and leveraged throughout the sales process."

"Simply by showing that you have done your homework and by asking powerful and insightful questions, you will begin to understand your customer's world and gain her confidence. You are well on your way to establishing the one crucial element - TRUST!"

Daniel Adams, author of Building Trust, Growing Sales, and creator of Trust Triangle Selling, helps corporations improve their profits by optimizing the performance of their sales teams. He is a frequent and popular speaker at national sales meetings, workshops and association events. To learn more, visit Daniel's website at www.trusttriangleselling.com

Digg This!	Stumble It!

Why Should I Buy from You?

It's early in the sales process when your prospect bluntly asks, "Why should I buy from you?" While this situation can be enough to leave many sales reps shaking in their boots, rattling off company facts, or simply running for the door, sales trainer Colleen Stanley suggests you simply say, "I don't know."

It sounds crazy, but read on to see how 'fessing up can land you the sale.

"If the prospect asks this question early in the sales process before you've had time to ask questions, tell the prospect you really don't know why they should buy from your company because you haven't had time to diagnose what's working, not working, and if the problem(s) are big enough to fix," says Stanley. "Get permission to continue asking questions to determine if there is a good reason, for both parties, to do business."

Colleen Stanley is president of SalesLeadership, Inc., a business development consulting firm specializing in sales and sales management training. The company provides programs in prospecting, referral strategies, consultative sales training, sales management training, and hiring/selection. Learn more at www.salesleadershipdevelopment.com

Digg This!	Stumble It!

5 Tips for More Effective Questioning

"We all know we should ask questions. But the effort is wasted if they're not asked in the right way, or if you don't listen to the answers," says telesales guru Art Sobczak.

Here are five quick tips from Art that are sure to make your questioning more effective:

1. Ask one question at a time. If it's not important enough to stand on its own, don't ask it.

2. After you ask it, be quiet. If your prospect doesn't answer immediately, resist the urge to answer for him or follow up with another question. He is likely thinking about what he is going to say.

3. After your prospect has apparently finished, remain quiet for 1-2 more seconds. You might get additional information, and this ensures you don't interrupt.

4. Follow-up with a related question. Don't ping-pong around from subject to subject. For example, if your prospect answers, "I believe the main problem we have right now is a lack of motivation," a logical next query would be, "Oh, what are some specific situations where you've seen a lack of motivation?"

5. Be confident in your questioning. One reason people ask multiple questions is that they aren't comfortable asking questions. The only way you're going to truly help someone is by finding out about him. You're not intruding. You're assisting.

Sound advice. Put it to use today. For more helpful tips on questioning techniques and selling by phone, visit Art Sobczak's website at www.BusinessbyPhone.com.

Digg This!	Stumble It!