7-Day Crash Sales Elite

Chapter 15 The Fourth Day (2)
When a stroller salesperson visited a customer, he asked his customer: "May I ask if you bought this stroller for a baby of a few months to sleep or for a baby of one or two years old to sit?" Do you want the child to ride a three-wheeled bicycle to be more stable, or let him practice the skills of riding a two-wheeled bicycle?" Just a short question can win the trust and recognition of customers, and can skillfully express the product's A variety of functions, thus leaving a good and deep impression on customers.

[2] Conversational questioning.

Conversation can create a very comfortable and friendly atmosphere between the salesperson and the customer.However, discussions of objectives, selection criteria, products and services are not included in this communication process.The purpose of the dialogue is simply to find common ground.

For example, a salesperson might start a conversation by saying, "Do you like the cold weather?" This is a good way to start.It also allows both parties to learn about each other's habits and personalities during the conversation.This verbal probing can help you determine what form of etiquette, pacing, you should adopt in the sales process.

[3] Detrimental questioning.

Generally speaking, the purpose of damaging questions is to ask customers to tell what problems exist in the products they are currently using, and finally to persuade customers to use your products.

For example, a copier salesperson asked a potential customer: "I heard that the copying effect of the copier you are using now is not very good, and the handwriting is often blurred, is it?"

Obviously, these types of questions are extremely aggressive and can turn off customers if used incorrectly by salespeople.Therefore, when the salesperson raises such questions, he must pay attention to the tactful wording and tone, and consider the customer's tolerance.

[4] Evaluative questioning.

Evaluative questions are often used to ask customers for their views on a certain issue, and there are usually no fixed answers to such questions.

For example, "What do you think of this small car?" "Which one do you think is more cost-effective to rent a car or buy a car?" "What if you increase some parts inventory?" and so on.

In many cases, it is likely that the customer will not wish to comment on an issue.At this time, the salesperson should use indirect evaluation questions.Indirect evaluative questions ask the client to comment on the perspective of a third party.For example: "It is reported that a certain brand of razor has a very high reputation among consumers. Do you think it is popular among customers?"

[5] Verification questions.

Verification questions ensure that salespeople and customers agree on specific goals and selection criteria.Questions that can be answered with "yes" and "no" are needed here to confirm that the salesperson and the customer have the same understanding of those quantifiable goals.

[6] Concluding questions.

Conclusive questioning is based on the customer's point of view or existing problems, deduces the corresponding conclusion or points out the consequences of the problem, and induces the customer's demand for the product.This type of question is usually used after evaluative and damaging questions.

For example, after the customer's affirmation of the damaging question, the camera salesperson can then use a conclusive question: "How is the effect of shooting with this camera?"

[7] Consultative questions.

For example, a salesperson from a large company went to a school to sell computers, and he asked the school teachers, "Now schools are all engaged in modern teaching, and they are all equipped with computers, aren't they?"

Teacher: "Yes."

Then the salesperson can logically sell his computer.

[8] Clarifying questions.

Clarifying questions can turn vague responses from customers into quantifiable responses.Whether measured in terms of time or money, the quantifiability of these responses is very high.Clarifying answers allow the salesperson to clarify the customer's goals and selection criteria, as well as how the customer measures value.Clarifying questions are also open-ended and do not require a "yes" or "no" answer.Clarifying questions can help salespeople avoid saying sorry to customers for missed goals, wasted time, or money.

such as:

Customer: "I want to increase productivity by reducing the defective rate."

Salesperson: "What is the annual cost of defective products?" [This is a clarifying question that quantifies the cost of defective products]
Customer: "10 yuan."

Salesperson: What savings are you trying to achieve? [Second clarifying question to quantify savings]
[9] Selective questioning.

Selective questioning means that the salesperson should classify the objections that may be caused by the product, and let the customer choose one or several of them.

For example, a salesperson can ask a customer: "Hello, what's wrong with our product that you think doesn't meet your needs? Is it the style, size, weight or taste?"

[10] Proactive questioning.

Active questioning means that the salesperson expresses the main meaning he wants to express by asking questions through his own judgment.Generally speaking, the sales staff will give a clear answer to these questions.

For example, a salesperson of a shampoo company asked: "The current shampoo must not only wash clean, but also have a certain hair care function, right?" The customer replied: "Yes." Question: "In order to be able to protect and nourish hair, it is necessary to make reasonable use of the effects of various natural medicines, and to achieve hair care and nourishment while shampooing. Would you like to use this shampoo with multiple functions?" Client: "willing."

[11] Screening questions.

The first step in screening questions is to help clients gather information about their goals, selection criteria, quantifiable benefits, and evaluation systems.First, salespeople screen customers based on their ability to achieve their goals, not their ability to buy their own products.Screening questions are also open-ended.As expected, the salesperson's initial questions were often met with vague responses.Screening questions, like conversational questions, don't have a "yes" or "no" answer.

[12] Directed questioning.

Pointing questions often use who, what, where, why, etc. as interrogative words, and are mainly used to understand some basic facts and situations from customers, so as to find breakthroughs for subsequent persuasion work.For example, "Where do you currently buy parts?" "Who uses the copiers?" "What is your profit?" etc.

The purpose of asking these questions is very clear and relatively easy to answer.It is often used to understand some simple information that is suitable for disclosure, but not suitable for understanding personal situations and deeper information.

[13] Detailed questions.

The role of detailed questions is to urge customers to further express their views and explain the situation.However, different from other ways of asking questions, detailed questions directly ask customers to explain detailed questions.

For example, "Can you give an example of your idea?" "Please tell me more details, please?"

[14] Repeated questions.

Repetitive questioning is to repeat the customer's language or point of view in the form of questioning.

For example: "You mean that you are not satisfied with the service we provide?" "You mean that due to the failure of the machine, you have caused a lot of losses, don't you?" "That is to say, pay first 50%, and the other 50% will be paid after inspection, right?"

Prepare to ask questions
Before the interview with the customer, the salesperson should be fully prepared, and the questions to be asked of the customer are an important part of it.In order to make the deal go ahead, the salesperson should carefully consider and formulate a well-thought-out plan.

In the sales process, for those customers who need to be asked, it is best for the salesperson to sort out the items to be asked and the items attached to the table in the notepad in advance, and then ask accordingly.

There is a salesperson of maternity and baby products who often visits customers in various residential areas. Since she knocked on the door, she spends most of the time asking questions while chatting with customers.

Salesperson: "How old is your baby?"

When asking this question, the salesperson had already been prepared. After the customer told the baby's age, she could quickly inform the customer of the growth characteristics at this stage and what products should be used.

Customer: "5 months."

Salesperson: "It must be very happy to be a mother. The growth and development characteristics of each stage of the baby are different. The main growth and development characteristics of the baby in two or three months are vision and hearing. Therefore, it is especially necessary for us to give him some pleasant sounds. Sounds, and look at some brightly colored pictures, let his visual and auditory nerves fully develop, and lay a good foundation for future hearing and vision. These small rattles are for four or five-month-old babies, and these pictures are Hang it in front of the baby for him to see." At this point, the salesperson picked up the product and handed it to the customer.

Salesperson: "Which brand of feeding bottle did you use for your baby before?"

In fact, the purpose of the salesperson asking this question is to understand the customer's consumption level. If she uses AVENT, Pigeon, NUK, etc., it means that the customer is at an upper-middle consumption level, and she will recommend some brands to the customer. , Medium and high-end products.If you use Edley and Rikang products, they are mid-range consumers, so she should try to consider price factors and practicality when recommending products to customers.

In fact, salespeople do not need to prepare many questions before visiting customers.As ABC announcer and interview expert Ted Copper puts it: "Most of the time, if you start out humorously and ask people a question, they end up telling you something really interesting."

As the conversation progresses, the salesperson's questions should focus on identifying the customer's real needs, current problems or losses, and what the customer will gain by purchasing his product.At this stage of the deal, it is important to get the client thinking as deeply as possible.

When entering the proposal stage, more questions should be asked to allow the client to consider and tell the results of his current actions and the utility of your ideas.

No one understands their own perspectives and concepts of desired outcomes better than the client.A key sales strategy is to get the customer to explain his idea to you in his own words.

Of course, a salesperson asking the wrong question can stop a customer from talking.This raises the question: what kind of questions should be asked?In fact, in the process of sales negotiation, what questions the salesperson asks the customer mainly depends on their own purpose.Asking questions without purpose is also meaningless in sales negotiations.Therefore, the salesperson should pay attention to the following points when asking questions:

[1] The questions raised by the salesperson must be able to obtain the information and feedback they need, that is, what to ask must be targeted and specific, so that it is possible to get a clear answer from the customer.At the same time, the salesperson must be cautious in wording, not to stab the customer, embarrass the customer, and not cause the customer's anxiety and worry.

[2] The questions raised by the salesperson should be able to attract the attention of the customer and induce the customer's thinking direction.To attract customers' attention, the questions raised must have certain weight; to induce customers' thinking direction, the questions raised must have certain planning.

[3] To better play the role of asking questions, it is very necessary to think and prepare before asking questions.Like, what am I asking?How will customers react?Can it achieve my purpose?

At the same time, through effective questioning, the sales staff must also leave a deep impression on the hearts of customers, so that their products will also leave a strong impression on the hearts of customers.

Questions to avoid when asking questions
In the process of negotiating with customers, a good question may lead to the conclusion of a deal. Similarly, an inappropriate question may ruin a deal that is about to be concluded.

In the sales process, you must be cautious when asking questions to customers.Typically, the following aspects are common problems in the sales process:
First, salespeople choose poor timing to ask questions.

When the salesperson asks the customer, he must pay attention to grasp the timing of the question and ask the question carefully. In this way, the salesperson can easily attract the customer's attention and keep the customer's interest in communication.

Usually, the following points should be paid attention to in grasping the timing of asking questions:
[1] Sometimes, even when a salesperson is eager to ask a question, they should wait until the customer has fully expressed it.Asking questions too early or too late will interrupt the customer's train of thought and appear very impolite, and it will also affect the customer's interest in answering questions.

[2] Before the customer has finished answering, the salesperson had better not ask your second question.

[3] For some issues that are not related to the negotiation, it is best for the salesperson to raise them before the negotiation, after the negotiation, or during the middle break.

[4] In order to control the direction of the conversation during the negotiation process, the salesperson may wish to ask questions continuously, but the questions raised each time must be single and clear, and the questions raised must be continuous and logical.

[5] Pay attention to the emotions of customers when salespeople ask questions.When the customer's mood is high, the salesperson can seize the time to ask more questions and ask more in-depth questions; on the contrary, they should try to ask as few questions as possible, and the questions asked should not be too deep.

In the sales process, an inappropriate question may have an irreversible impact on the sales negotiation effect, so the salesperson should pay special attention to the following issues:

(End of this chapter)