Recently in class, its been mentioned that good salespeople ask their buyers questions. The more I think about asking questions, the more I realize how important it is in determining the end product suggestion. A good way to demonstrate this is putting myself in the shoes of an automotive salesperson.
For this example, I’ll be working at a Ford dealership. Lets say a customer comes in looking to buy a truck. I found a truck and show it off, but the buyer is dissatisfied… lets ask some questions.
- How often do you drive?
- How far do you typically drive?
- What kind of conditions do you typically drive in?
- Have you ever, and do you ever plan on going off-road?
- How often are you hauling/towing?
- How important is fuel mileage to you?
- Do you want a gas, diesel or electric?
- How much maintenance have you done/would be willing to do?
- How many passengers do you typically have?
- Do you want the interior to be more stock or luxurious?
All of these questions become even more important when considering the variety offered in Ford’s truck lineup. Ford offers many models, trims, and packages making good questions even more important. If somebody wanted to see a truck, I would show them the F150: the best selling vehicle in the USA since 1981. But if they often haul and tow heavy loads, than I would probably suggest something like the Super Duty, which was designed for that purpose. Two different products for two different purposes, showcasing why questions, good questions, are so important to ask.
BoweryJE22
Excellent example of tailoring the sale to the customer’s needs. Nice post!
When I think of asking questions with regards to sales, I think of developing a trust relationship (transparency) with the buyer. Sometimes sellers overlook the importance of asking questions because they buyer is always thought to ask the questions. But these days, things are changing and sellers should be asking questions before the buyer even has to.
This is an excellent post because this part of the sale is so important and should be mastered. I think you showed a lot of great examples of how to ask the right questions to get the customer talking and try to uncover some pain or problem.