“So, how does this work? Do you talk first or do I talk first?”
Carrying a sales conversation can be a challenging thing. Often times the sales person feels the pressure to carry the conversation and as a result will move from topic to topic without allowing the potential customer the time to process or respond. Sandler rule #14 states that “A prospect who is listening is no prospect at all.” Essentially what this means is that a prospect needs to be given the room to talk and develop their ideas in order for a sale to be possible.
In order to shift the talking from sales person to prospect, the focus of the conversation needs to shift from closing a deal to gathering information. To do so, the sales person should ask the potential customer some strategic questions that will get valuable information on the table. Questions such as “On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate the severity of your problem?” forces the prospect to think and generate a question that can be followed up with more questions and therefore keep the conversation moving in the right direction. Asking yes or no questions is the quickest way to kill a conversation. Always ask a question that can be developed further.
To be a successful salesperson, one must come to the realization that listening to a prospect is equally, if not more important than talking to him. By allowing room to hear the prospect’s point of view, one can have greater wisdom of the true nature of the situation and how he can be of better service to the potential customer.
BoweryJE22
I liked the detailed way in which you laid out a strategy for actually achieving the principles. It’s so vital for the customer to do most of the talking, and the tips and starter questions you have laid out are all really great!
First, nice photo choice! Second I find the concept of listening and asking thoughtful questions to be one of the most insightful things I’ve learned in my collegiate experience. If we proc others to start the conversation we are able to learn what their needs area and address them in a team like approach, which is very refreshing in the modern day and age. Also, we must remember to be comfortable in the silence, as Professor Sweet has taught us.