| Asking permission to proceed with a cold call, asking questions to uncover information, asking for any concerns, asking for the account... Success in prospecting and sales often relies on our ability to ask. Unfortunately, many people are reluctant to ask important questions. Here's a look at some of the most common concerns. Concern #1: If I ask, that gives them a chance to say "no." This concern almost always centers around cold calling. In a consultative cold call, you state the reason for your call and then ask permission to proceed. Some people worry that if they give prospects a chance to say "no," they will indeed say "no." These sales reps want to skip asking permission and roll right into their pitch. Presumably, this pitch is so compelling that it overcomes prospects in such a way as to force them to listen and then buy. Reality check time: How often does this technique work when it's used on you? It's far better to ask permission to continue. Doing so demonstrates your intention to have an actual conversation. This is still unusual enough to make a positive difference. Many prospects who don't usually like getting cold calls will give you a chance. On the other hand, if a prospect doesn't want to talk with you, a few seconds of blabbering on and on won't change that. Better you should save the prospect and yourself the aggravation! And what should you do if you don't get permission to continue? Ask if you can call back! Concern #2: Some questions are too personal or touchy to ask. There are many questions that are indeed personal or touchy. That doesn't mean you should not ask them. For example, if you're a financial advisor you need to know a lot about a person's income and expenses to provide good advice. Likewise: If you're selling something that costs $10,000 minimum, your prospect with a $4,000 max budget might not be too pleased if you didn't uncover and address the issue before things got too far. You can avoid going over the line in asking touchy questions in several ways: A. Provide information about your product or services first. (This is especially important in telemarketing.) B. Ask permission to ask questions. Nothing fancy needed: "Mind if I ask you some questions?" C. Set the stage/expectations. As you open the sales conversation, describe how you'd like the conversation to go, including telling them you'll have some questions for them. (Be sure to ask them what they'd like to accomplish in this conversation, too, before you move on.) D. Use humor. Here's how one banker does it: "I'd like to ask you some incredibly personal questions about light topics such as your income and credit history. This temporary torture will help me find the right loan for you. Is that okay?" Concern #3: If I ask, I'll seem pushy. It's true that some requests sound more like demands. The difference between the two is your tone of voice and your intent. You need a a good match between tone and intent to avoid sounding demanding. For example:
By the way... Strangely enough, the concern about being pushy often goes hand-in-hand with worry about failing to control the situation. Many people who are new to sales, or not comfortable with the role, have a sense they should be able to exert control. If that sounds like you, please be assured that success in sales does not rely on your ability to control others! On the contrary, all you need to control is yourself. For example, you must learn to…you guessed it…make yourself ask questions. Concern #4: Why ask when it's obvious? This concern often relates to asking for the business, also known as "closing." Picture this: You've just spent an hour asking questions and gathering information. You presented how your services meet the needs, wants and interests uncovered. You asked the prospect what she thought about those services and her comments were positive. You're both all smiles. O goodie. Now what? The possibilities of what may happen next are endless, not singularly obvious. In addition, many prospects don't realize the sales conversation or process is "done." The only way to clarify the situation for both parties is to state you'd like the business and then ask your prospect, "What next?" "Looks like we have an excellent fit. I'd really like to open this contract with you. What happens from here?" But still...Why you do have to ask for the business to make it obvious you want the business? Too bad I don't have a BS in psychology instead of a BA because then I could tell you why humans need to be asked (tee hee). Alas, any such explanation would truly be baloney. Better to take it as a given of successful selling: You get more business when you ask for the business. One more question: Is it always necessary to ask for the business? Nope. There is no "always" when dealing with humans (thank goodness!). Sometimes the prospect truly makes it clear he or she is ready to buy. Still, asking, "What's next?" will help ensure you have the full picture and manage things well from there. |