Receiving information - Learn to earn
Didn't I tell you that the No.1 skill in sales (and customer service) one should master is listening? If you have two ears and one mouth, it means you should listen twice as more than talking, right? Just imagine walking into a place of business and the sales person speaks more than you do. No hesitation - get out! All they want is the stuff off the shelves and not necessarily for you to have what you need, or have a great experience. Still, you need to ask the right questions that will lead you to present the right product or service you know would fit perfectly those needs.
The more you learn about your client, the easier it is to earn their business.
The objectives of Receiving Information are:
1. Understanding who you're dealing with.
- Seasoned or brand new on the job? Are you the first stop they make?
2. Is this the right business for us?
- You may not have what they're looking for or you might not be the perfect fit for what they're looking for.
3. Are we the right solution for them?
- Selling, for just selling's sake, is not doing the customer a favour if the product is not a good fit. Referring someone else might help you gain a lifetime customer!
4. Will this Relationship lead to more Repeat and Referral business?
- Selling is about relationship. You should not decide on just long-timers but seeing long term and solid relationships will bring you more in the future.
Consider this diagram, also known as the “Pyramid of Knowledge.” It contains information that you will need in order to determine whether you can help the client.
TOP
BUYING
MOTIVE
INVESTMENT
DECISION
NEEDS and WANTS
Needs and Wants
Starting from the bottom, you’ll need to uncover the client’s Needs (must haves) and Wants (nice to haves). Everything your customer needs is basically in his/her initial request. The reason to reach out to you. The wants will or could eventually make him/her look good!
Decision
Who is the decision maker? How, and when, is the decision going to be made?
By getting this information, you will be able to start working on an agenda. Knowing when a decision will be made is the perfect opportunity for you to call them back and follow-up.
Investment
For this sensitive question, I teach training participants to ask questions that are not too direct as you want the customer to talk about budget before you do - it makes them more at ease. So, some of the probing questions are:
Where have you done business in the past?
Who else are you currently considering?
These questions will give you an idea of their price range, benefits, and the type of product they prefer. The responses to this question will help you position your benefits.
Top Buying Motive
The Top Buying Motive is the most important factor to the client when making a final decision. It is rarely about money! It is often about experience. A successful relationship starts by doing what the client wants - providing it is feasible.
By asking something similar to: "What is the most important thing to you when selecting a (business like ours)? What would make this a success?", the client will see that he/she is taken seriously and that you will do all that you can to make it happen.
Now you have to make sure that your entire organization is aware of it.
Make yourself a list of those important questions you need to ask and do it for every requests you receive until you become familiar...it makes great sales relationships!
The more you learn about your client, the easier it is to earn their business.
The objectives of Receiving Information are:
1. Understanding who you're dealing with.
- Seasoned or brand new on the job? Are you the first stop they make?
2. Is this the right business for us?
- You may not have what they're looking for or you might not be the perfect fit for what they're looking for.
3. Are we the right solution for them?
- Selling, for just selling's sake, is not doing the customer a favour if the product is not a good fit. Referring someone else might help you gain a lifetime customer!
4. Will this Relationship lead to more Repeat and Referral business?
- Selling is about relationship. You should not decide on just long-timers but seeing long term and solid relationships will bring you more in the future.
Consider this diagram, also known as the “Pyramid of Knowledge.” It contains information that you will need in order to determine whether you can help the client.
TOP
BUYING
MOTIVE
INVESTMENT
DECISION
NEEDS and WANTS
Needs and Wants
Starting from the bottom, you’ll need to uncover the client’s Needs (must haves) and Wants (nice to haves). Everything your customer needs is basically in his/her initial request. The reason to reach out to you. The wants will or could eventually make him/her look good!
Decision
Who is the decision maker? How, and when, is the decision going to be made?
By getting this information, you will be able to start working on an agenda. Knowing when a decision will be made is the perfect opportunity for you to call them back and follow-up.
Investment
For this sensitive question, I teach training participants to ask questions that are not too direct as you want the customer to talk about budget before you do - it makes them more at ease. So, some of the probing questions are:
Where have you done business in the past?
Who else are you currently considering?
These questions will give you an idea of their price range, benefits, and the type of product they prefer. The responses to this question will help you position your benefits.
Top Buying Motive
The Top Buying Motive is the most important factor to the client when making a final decision. It is rarely about money! It is often about experience. A successful relationship starts by doing what the client wants - providing it is feasible.
By asking something similar to: "What is the most important thing to you when selecting a (business like ours)? What would make this a success?", the client will see that he/she is taken seriously and that you will do all that you can to make it happen.
Now you have to make sure that your entire organization is aware of it.
Make yourself a list of those important questions you need to ask and do it for every requests you receive until you become familiar...it makes great sales relationships!
Francis Prézeau
Signature Canada is a leader in training employees to deliver legendary customer service while increasing sales. Since 1986, Signature’s unique training methodology has provided a measurable ROI for our customers, compelling them to return year after year. www.signaturecanada.ca