Through the course of Sales in the Startup, we have learned many different methods in approaching sales and I think that illuminating on the idea of the 4 step funnel would be very beneficial.
Starting off, the four step funnel is comprised of the pre call analysis, need analysis by asking general open ended questions, need awareness through probing questions, need solution through the eyepiece of features tell, benefits sell, and need satisfaction in the way of asking for the business.
The pre-call analysis is crucial before reaching out to a prospect because you need to understand who you are calling before you actually end up picking up the phone. Do they have hobbies that you know about, do they have family that you may know, or are they active in the community in some other sense.
The need analysis next comes from asking those opended ended questions when you do pick up the phone and start talking. Get them to talk about themselves on questions that are focused on driving you to your ultimate point of what you want them to see. People love to talk about themselves and if you are able to find a need through asking open ended questions then you can switch to probing questions
This leads us into the need awareness through asking probing questions driving the client to reveal more about what that pain is and how it has affected their business or their time.
Next, present the need solution in terms of letting your features tell and the benefits will sell themselves in terms of how you are going to be able to solve the need that you have now found.
The last thing you do is to ask for the business and shut up! You have done the work and have earned the right to ask for the business itself.
RMcIlwain