Once you have gotten past the opening and the customer is receptive to engage you can start to Building Rappor. First is to ask questions.
1. Open-Ended Questions
No matter what product or service you are selling you need to build rapport. You do this with questions. The questions you ask are very important. You want to ask questions that will get more than just a “yes” or “no” answer. You want questions that will start a conversation.
The best questions you can ask will start with one of the following: Who, What, Where, When, How, and Tell Me. Using questions that start with these words will get you more than just a “yes” or “no” answer. These are called open-ended questions.
2. 3 Questions You Need to be Answered
Question 1: Who are they looking for?
They could be looking for themselves, someone else, their company or all of the above. Your job is to find out the “who.” Knowing the “who,” will help you focus on how to sell. When it is for that person, then it is all about them. When it is for someone else, then is it all about that person. When it is for a company or a group, then it is about them. Make your product or service connect with that “who.”
Question 2: Why do they need your product or service?
If it is a gift, then maybe it is for a birthday. If it is for their company maybe they need to upgrade. When you know the “why,” then you can start to figure out how you can fulfill that need.
Question 3: When do they need your product or service ?
We all want to sell our products or services that day, but many times we can’t that day. Maybe the person has a contract that needs to expire first or the occasion is too far away. You need to know what the customer is thinking when it comes to time. You also need to know how much time you have to fulfill the customer’s needs. If the customer needs you product in a week, but you can’t deliver for two weeks, then how are you going to handle that. You don’t want to make a sale just to turn around and say, “I’m sorry but I can’t help you.”
3. Ask, Answer, Repeat
When you ask a question wait for an answer. When you get the answer you were looking for ask your next question. Continue this process until you have enough answers that you feel you know what they want or need. Don’t over do it, just get enough information to start the process of finding their needs and wants. You can always ask more questions as you move through the steps in the sale.
It is said that there are no dumb questions. I say there are no dumb questions, only dumb people who ask questions. Don’t be a dumb person. Know your products or services and know your customers. When you do this you will ask the right questions which will allow you to begin the Presentation.
