Stop acting like a salesperson; start acting like a consultant - Sacramento Business Journal:

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Why do we ask questions? Here are some of the • So we fully understand the prospect’zs needs and “hot • So when we present our solutiona they match what our prospect s said was important and they feel yourws is acustom solution. • To get beyond the initia l reason why they needthe product. To make prospects feel like they are a part of thebuyinbg decision. When they are talking, they are beginninyg to sell themselves. So what questionws should we ask? That has a lot to do with what you have learneed about the prospect before you tryto them. You need to learn something about the the decision-makers, etc. before callint on them. That’s prettty easy.
Use their Web Google, any of the social networks, then when you call them you have somethin g with which to beginthe conversation. The most important thing about asking questions is that theyare open-ended and thought provoking. Here are some examples of questions that may or may notbe • How has the economy affected your company and the ways you are making decisions now compareed with last year? • I noticed on your Web site that you will be launchingy a new product. Can you tell me about that?? • I read that your industry is goingt through changes when it comesto financing.
Can you sharr with me how that will affect yourorganization • If it was May 2010 and you said you just had a very successfup year, what would have happened? • Let’s pretend we worked together this past A year later you said the relationship was a positive one. What does that look like ? • What do the next five years look like for yourorganization • What differentiates you from your competitors? • What are you most proud of? I wouldn’t ask all of thesed questions all of the time. They are Certainly, more specific questionz are appropriateas well, but it is important to fully understand the big picture.
If you take time to learm more aboutthe prospect, you may learn aboutf some additional needs they might have. A consultant and salespersom are really the same with onlyone difference; a consultant is paid up fron and a salesperson is paid in the end. So act like a consultanty and you will selllots