Successful Communication
Questioning for Quality Information:
You have two ears and one mouth and it’s useful to use them in that proportion. Smart salespeople ask questions and listen to the answer. Listening and then using the information the client gives, is a skill many salespeople lack. There are three types of questions a sales person can use:
1. Open Questions - designed to get the client to talk:
These questions begin with how, where, what, when and do not elicit a yes or no response, but get the client opening up; “How would it be for you to have brand new XYZ?”.
2. Precision Questions - to elicit precise and succinct information from the client:
These also begin with, how, what, where, when and end with ‘specifically’ because the questions are designed to chunk down to precise answers. The salesperson will often use precision questions when dealing with objections; “Too expensive, compared to what specifically?”.
3. Closing Questions - to close and get agreement throughout the sales process:
For example, “So you are happy with XYZ?”; “The product comes with ABC, that’s good isn’t it?”;
“On the basis I fulfill all the criteria you stated, you’re happy to proceed with the proposal?”.