Within sales there are many different jobs and one of the most important job is sales conversations with projected clients. These conversations can be difficult to master, but when mastered you will be able to go and talk someone into buying your product without them even knowing they are getting sold too. One of the most important assepect of the sales conversation is open ended questions. These are very important because they leave the salesman in control of the conversation and not just talking about his product. Getting to know your client is the most important part of the conversation and through good open ended questions they will reviel key pieces of information that you can use later in teh conversation.
When asking these questions you want to keep the client interested in your product as they answer your questions, so thinking of questions that will keep them on their toes. Reading the clients posture, expressions, and tone is important because if they seem very stern and not open then that typically means they are uninterested and you should go for “no”. Doing prior research is very important because the more you know about your clients the more serious you sound when you know very specific information.
Here are five questions that you as a salesman will need to be able to respond to
- May I ask you some questions about your business?
- Could you tell me about your business?
- You specialize in X. Why did you choose that niche?
- Were your telephone transmissions of data fast enough?
- What are your goals for the next [3, 6, or 12] months?
These questions are just a few examples of good open ended questions to understand your clients needs. During a sales conversation you will have to tailor these questions to the product you are selling so you cannot just go by a list of questions word for word because every conversation is unique and requries planning on the go. Asking questions will diffenciate you from the conpetition because normally sales conversations the client is just rambling on about their product and asks no questions.
BoweryJE22
Great post Brendan! I agree that starting with an open-ended question is a great tactic to use to gain a deeper understanding of what the prospect really is looking for. By putting the ball in their court, they have to answer to you, and it gives you all the power. I like how you said that it is not just about what they say, but how they say it, Tone is very important in sales conversations. Well done!
Open-ended questions allow for a wider range of answers for the customer to tell you. You are making them think about a possible answer to what you have given tothem, all you need to do now is to shut up and wait for them to answer.
Hey Bro!
I totally vibe with you and your mindset on this. Sales conversations shred on open-ended questions, as they discover prospects’ needs and allow for personalized solutions tailored to their goals, rather than deterring them with aggro type doodads.
See ya bro! 🤙 deuces
Great examples! Sometimes keeping things open can be hard, even just struggling with the mindset of asking “the right questions.” It is so easy to forget that our clients will already know what is most important- and that it is easier when we allow for room to bring it up. Great job!