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Name of author Rick Baker, P.Eng.

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Sales Tweet #57

by Rick Baker
On Oct 5, 2010
Sales Tweet #57 How are your FAQs? How impressive is your repertoire of Client-emotion touching questions?
 
The Thinking Behind the Sales Tweet
I am not talking about being manipulative. I am talking about appealing to emotions that are higher than the base emotions. I am talking about asking questions that are designed to discover the Client's true desires.

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Questions?: The Art of Asking Good Questions | Sales | Thought Tweets

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Sales Tweet #55

by Rick Baker
On Oct 1, 2010
Sales Tweet #55 How do you react to Clients' FAQs? How deal-getting is your repertoire of answers to your Clients' FAQs?
 
The Thinking Behind the Sales Tweet
This is similar to Sales Tweet #50. It is about working to understand Clients and working to anticipate what will likely happen when meeting with Clients. And, it is about tailoring communication to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of sales calls. And, efficiency and effectiveness are important to both the Client and the sales person. Planning ahead - thorough-planning ahead - increases the likelihood of completing action steps in a smooth and comfortable way...the Client will appreciate the time you have taken even if he or she doesn't mention it.

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Questions?: The Art of Asking Good Questions | Sales | Thought Tweets

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Sales Tweet #50

by Rick Baker
On Sep 24, 2010
Sales Tweet #50 What are your most-successful questions? I mean the ones that almost always lead to a closed sale.
 
The Thinking Behind the Sales Tweet
Every sales person should have a repertoire of BEST QUESTIONS. [Search the word "question" at the Activestor website for more about this topic...here's a link www.activestor.ca]

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Questions?: The Art of Asking Good Questions | Sales | Thought Tweets

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The Art of Questioning #2

by Rick Baker
On Sep 21, 2010
The Art of Questioning #2 is about sales people using questions to uncover Client needs.
 
This blog is inspired by Neil Rackham, the author of SPIN Selling.
 
For the sales process, Rackham defines the purpose of questions: to uncover Clients’ implied needs and to develop them into specific needs.
 
Rackham talks about 2 types of questions:
  • Uncovering Questions which ask buyers about their problems or implied needs
  • Developing Questions which took those implied needs and, somehow, developed them into explicit needs
Rackham toured with sales people from multi-national companies and he found:
Uncovering Questions were more strongly linked to success in smaller sales

There are several types of Uncovering Questions, the main categories being:
  • Situation Questions: designed to find facts about the Client’s existing situation
    • the more Situation Questions the higher the likelihood of a failed sales call
    • Situation Questions are overused by inexperienced sales people
  • Problem Questions: designed to learn about Clients’ problems, difficulties, or dissatisfactions
    • Problem Questions happen more when sales calls are successful
    • Experienced sales people ask more Problem Questions
Developing Questions were more important and more strongly linked to success than Uncovering Questions
When it comes to sales people presenting questions to Probable Clients, here's a sample of our recommendations:
  • Consider each of your Target Markets and its Value Proposition
  • Consider the Ideal Client Profile for each Target Market
  • Design Questions to help discover whether or not the Probable Client fits the Ideal Client Profile:
    • Spend a lot of time planning these Designed Questions
    • Design supplementary questions, at least 2 layers of them
    • Be consistent when you ask the questions
    • Observe the results and score 'success' or 'failure'
    • Where your Client relationships are very strong...ask for Clients’ help as you hone and improve your questions and your delivery of your questions
Footnote:
Compare Rackham’s ideas with those of Bruno Gideon: The Art of Questioning #1.

Tags:

Communication: Improving Communication | Leaders' Thoughts | Marketing | Questions?: The Art of Asking Good Questions

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Sales Tweet #46

by Rick Baker
On Sep 20, 2010
Sales Tweet #46 When you simply listen with an open mind...what are your Clients saying about your competition?
 
The Thinking Behind the Sales Tweet
The main point is - Listen. Don’t make comments about your competition. And 'overrule' yourself if you are tempted to ask leading questions. When your Client brings up your competition it means something. Your challenge is to determine what it means. You can prepare for this inevitable situation by planning the questions you will ask your Client after your Client raises the topic of your competition. When you design those questions, design them carefully. [Search the word "question" at the Activestor website for more about this topic...here's a link www.activestor.ca ]

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Communication: Improving Communication | Questions?: The Art of Asking Good Questions | Sales | Thought Tweets

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Sales Tweet #43

by Rick Baker
On Sep 15, 2010
Sales Tweet #43 What's the best compliment a Client has paid to you during the last year? What, exactly, caused it?
 
The Thinking Behind the Sales Tweet
Take the time to re-live your successes and your brightest-light moments. Work to understand the exact things you did to cause others to compliment you. Don't assume you know. Ask enough questions to make sure you know.

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Questions?: The Art of Asking Good Questions | Sales | Thought Tweets

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