Arguably the best sales technique is to attempt always answer a prospect’s question with one of your own, you must try to not go into interrogation mode, as this may frustrate the prospect, but conveying that you care about their needs more than you do about the sale can go a long way in closing a deal. Ask for clarification on certain issues, and focus on maintaining a 70:30 listening-speaking ratio, this will help to ensure that you are not dominating the conversation and allow the prospect to understand that you hear them and are trying to relate and connect with their pain. Although questions can sometimes seem frivolous and they can force a conversation to take longer, it helps to create positive sentiment from the prospect and can prevent product or service dissatisfaction as the salesperson simply took the time to hear the needs as opposed to what they thought a prospect may want to hear. It is critical to truly understand in order to effectively sell. When in doubt, ask a question.
By guentterjj21
BoweryJE22 3 thoughts on “Answer with a Question”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
The technique of answering a prospect’s question with a question of your own is a powerful tool in sales. By doing this, you demonstrate that you care about the prospect’s needs and are trying to understand their pain points. This helps to build a relationship of trust and makes it more likely that the prospect will be receptive to your pitch. It’s important to strike a balance between asking questions and not overwhelming the prospect, as well as maintaining an appropriate listening-speaking ratio. By doing so, you can help to prevent product or service dissatisfaction and create positive sentiment with the prospect. Ultimately, understanding the prospect’s needs is critical to effective selling, and asking questions is a valuable way to achieve this.
Jake, good post, reversing is an excellent strategy to dig up more additional information. The prospect may get frustrated if you ignore their questions though, so we can combat that by answering some and then finishing our comment with the question. This way we satisfy their question and turn it into an opportunity to gather more info.
I completely agree. The approach of answering a prospect’s question with a question can indeed be a powerful sales technique. By doing so, you demonstrate a genuine interest in understanding the prospect’s needs and concerns, rather than simply pushing for a sale. This approach helps build rapport and trust with the prospect, as it shows that you are focused on finding the best solution for them. Maintaining a balanced listening-speaking ratio, with an emphasis on listening, is key to effective communication. It allows you to gather valuable information and insights, enabling you to tailor your pitch and address the prospect’s pain points effectively. This approach also helps create a positive experience for the prospect, as they feel heard and understood. While it may seem counterintuitive to spend more time on questions, it ultimately leads to a deeper understanding of the prospect’s needs and helps you avoid any potential dissatisfaction with your product or service. Taking the time to truly listen and understand establishes a foundation for a successful sales process. In summary, adopting a questioning approach in sales is valuable for building relationships, demonstrating empathy, and ensuring a thorough understanding of the prospect’s requirements. By prioritizing the prospect’s needs over the immediate sale, you increase the likelihood of closing deals and creating long-term customer satisfaction.