Increase Sales Blog

Posts Tagged ‘probing questions’

Probing questions usually are seeking pain or gain.  Many sales experts suggest customers buy for one of these two reasons.  Stu Schlackman in a recent blog provided some inight into the buying decision process.

Yet until you as the salesperson have an established relationship where your expertise has been demonstrated and you have earned the trust of that potential customer asking either pain or gain questions will probably cost you the sale.

What I have observed is many individuals start selling before they have completed the marketing goals of:

1. Attracting positive attention
2. Building the relationship

The end result of effective marketing is to be asked back where you can begin to further develop the relationship and with permission ask probing questions. Sales Training Coaching Tip:  Always ask permission – May I ask you a question about….? before asking the question.  Watch the body language to ensure congruency between your potential customer’s verbal words and non-verbal language.

Probing questions are tough questions in disguise because you are empathetic in the way you ask them.  Sometimes by how you ask those difficult questions may create an impression that you are too tough, too push for your potential customer.

Credit: WPClipArt

Also, you may wish to consider changing this phrase ABC – Always Be Closing to this one ABE – Always Be Earning.  For the word earning suggests far different behaviors and beliefs than the word closing.

Probing questions are effective when used correctly. Finally, from my observations,  most people buy to avoid pain more so than to secure gain.

Please leave your comments about pain or gain. What has worked or not worked for you?

Not being a great movie follower unless  it is science fiction, I recently came across a movie clip on YouTube – Glengarry Glen  Ross.  This is a 1992 independent film about a man who is brought in to increase sales through his rather forceful sales training approach of Always Be Closing. Since the language in this film is very offensive, I have elected not to link to it. You can look it up for yourself.

What I found interesting is this notion of Always Be Closing.  In my book, Be the Red Jacket the Keys to Unlocking Sales Success. I specifically reference how much I believe this word “close” works against both the seller and the buyer because the close means to shut off. Why would anyone want to shut off their customers is one of the questions I ask in my book?

In further reflection, I have come to realize something else.   Many believe this word focuses on the potential customer or client (a.k.a. prospect), but this is truly a smokescreen.  Others believe this sales training technique directs attention to you the seller.  Both beliefs are in error. This word is all about the competition.

Yes, you read that right.  This is all  about your competitors!

When you use the word close, your efforts are not geared to the customer, but are directed straight to your known and unknown competitors.  You want to close them off  to isolate them from your customer so that you can make the sale.

If you have an individual in front of you who has met the five qualifying sales criteria and you are working her or him through your sales process, then why are you worried about your competitors?  Simply speaking sales professionals who have built relationships with their potential customers and have invested the time in understanding their needs along with market place trends do not need to focus their limited resources of time, energy, money and emotions on anyone else.  Sales Training Coaching Tip: Do not totally  ignore your competitors, but do not focus on the majority of your efforts on them be them consciously or subconsciously as in the case of always be closing.

People like remembering through such acronyms like A-B-C.  So instead of thinking “Closing,” consider these other behaviors instead:

• Communicating – How are you communicating your value especially if you are engaged in education based marketing?
• Casting – Where are you consistently seeking qualified potential customers?
• (in) Character – What messages are your behaviors sending?
• Checking – How often do you check for agreement to avoid obstacles?
• Coaxing – How can you coax more information from your potential  client through your probing questions (think fact finding questions)?
• Confirming – When and where do you confirm the information you received is accurate?
• Congruent – How are your behaviors (actions) and words in congruency?

Marcel Proust once wrote: The true voyage in discovery is not seeking new landscapes, but seeing with new eyes. When you change how you look at things, the things you look at will change.  Consider changing how you look at securing the sale and you may find your ability to increase sales has dramatically improved.