Questions that Sell

by Paul Cherry

  •What could others learn from your experiences?

  •Tell me about your relationships with vendors in the past—your current ones and the ones you no longer do business with.

  •Can you give me an example of a significant problem you faced in the past when dealing with _________ and how you responded to it?

  •What trends in the market have you seen over the past few years?

  •What steps did your organization have to take to adapt to this trend?

  •Think back to when you originally implemented this process. What were your expectations? What results are you getting now? What kind of results would you like to get in the future?

  When you ask questions like these, something interesting happens with customers. They think bigger. When you focus exclusively on the present, your customer will almost inevitably fixate on their day-to-day struggles. And while these problems may seem urgent to the buyer, the value you provide by fixing them tends to be as fleeting and transitory as the problems themselves.

  When you ask buyers to look back, you’re asking them to take a longer view. They can see that perhaps that seemingly minor problem they’re grappling with today—“It took me all morning to create these reports!”—is just a symptom of a deeper, systemic problem. If you can address that larger problem instead of just the immediate pain, you can deliver much greater value.

  For example, you ask the customer, “How long have you been struggling to create these reports? And why?”

  The customer replies: “It’s been every month for the past two years. As our business got larger, we found that our quarterly projections were off the mark. Our CEO had a very awkward exchange with shareholders, and after that he insisted that we do real-time reporting.”

  Consider how rich a history like that can be for a salesperson. The customer’s day-to-day problem is how to get those reports out on time. When you get the buyer focused on a longer time horizon, the problem is revealed to be much deeper—how to deliver reliable data to meet the needs of senior management and shareholders.

  That’s a much larger opportunity to pursue. And a much more valuable one for you. As a mentor of mine once said, “Where there’s a past, there’s a P.O.”

  CHAPTER

  15

  Getting to Yes Without All the Stress

  Anxiety-Free Closing Questions

  IN AN IDEAL world, closing a sale is a nonevent. You deeply understand the buyer’s needs. You know how much they can spend. You’ve identified all of the stakeholders and addressed any concerns they may have. You know how the buying decision will be made. Through careful questioning, you’ve helped your buyer see what’s at stake and the consequences of inaction or delay. Budget questions have been asked and answered. The value proposition is solid. Asking for the order is a mere formality.

  In the real world, of course, things don’t always go as smoothly. Perhaps the buyer has been less than forthcoming despite your best efforts. Maybe a hidden influencer is waiting in the wings. Maybe the buyer doesn’t really understand how your solution creates value—or doesn’t agree with your analysis. Maybe new information has surfaced that changes the situation, and the buyer hasn’t shared it with you.

  Even when you’ve done all you can, there’s always some degree of risk when you get to the close. The questioning techniques I’ve described in this book are designed to reduce the unknowns to a minimum. But there are no guarantees. I’ve even seen—as I’m sure you have—“closed” sales that later get unclosed. You never really know whether you have the sale until the check clears.

  Understandably, that “unknown” factor creates anxiety in salespeople. They’ve put so much time and work into the sale. They need it to hit their numbers. Now the moment of truth has arrived, and they’re either going to win or lose. Given the stakes, confident salespeople can turn into shrinking violets. They dance around the issue. They hem and haw. That lack of confidence can be infectious. A buyer who’d been fully prepared to say yes starts to get second thoughts.

  The real source of that anxiety, I believe, is how salespeople look at closing. In most cases, closing is not an either/or situation. You want your buyer to say yes, of course. But in many cases, a “no” isn’t the end of the road. It means you have more work to do.

  Many of the old-school manipulative closing questions—which I don’t endorse—are based on this either/or view of closing. They try to use psychological tricks to boost the odds of getting a yes—as if, somehow, you can distract or fool an otherwise reluctant buyer into saying yes. But in my experience, buyers see closing questions like “Would you prefer the red one or the blue one?” or “Will that be cash or charge?” for what they are: pushy tactics. And by eroding the buyer’s trust, they move you further away from a yes. We want buyers to say yes because they really want to buy, not because they got fast-talked.

  That being said, some buyers do need a little nudge to say yes. Not because the deal isn’t good for them, but because they’re feeling some anxiety about making a decision. The thing about anxiety is that it’s contagious: A buyer’s anxiety can make you anxious, which, in turn, can add to the buyer’s anxiety.

  That’s why asking the right questions is so important. Information is power. When you understand your prospect’s needs, your solution is on target, specific, and meaningful. And if the buyer needs a little push, you can do so confidently, knowing that it really is in the customer’s best interest to embrace that solution. Buyers know, too, and chances are they’ll respect you for helping them move forward.

  Here’s my other problem with traditional closing questions: The term “closing” itself puts too much attention on the last steps of a sale. I prefer to use terms such as “getting a commitment” or “agreeing to the next step.” In that sense, every interaction with a buyer needs to be “closed.” You need to secure a next step, whether it’s saying yes to the sale, setting up the next appointment, agreeing to introduce you to other decisionmakers, arranging a demonstration, or some other call to action.

  At every stage, the greatest risk you face isn’t getting a “no” decision from the buyer; it’s getting “no decision” from the buyer. A “yes” is best, but a “no” is at least liberating. It allows you to move on to better opportunities. When you don’t insist on a decision, you end up wasting huge amounts of time on opportunities that will drift along and end up going nowhere.

  So with those thoughts in mind, let’s look at some questions that can help you navigate the close, increase the odds of getting a yes, and continue the dialogue if the buyer says no.

  When to Transition to the Close

  Salespeople often ask me, “When is it time to transition to closing?”

  My reply: Don’t ask me. Ask your customer.

  You’ll recall that impact questions are a great way to size up an opportunity. The customer’s response will tell you which stage they’re in:

  •The “have to” stage (the consequences of not moving forward right away will have serious ramifications)

  •The “want to” stage (motivated to do something, but not ready to act yet)

  •The “should” stage (no real desire)

  Buyers in the “have to” stage are ready to buy. Don’t waste time beating around the bush, or they may buy from someone else to get immediate relief.

  Buyers in the “want to” are motivated and interested. You should try to close them, if only to see how serious they are.

  However, you’re going to hear some version of “Yes, but.” For example, “I’m really interested but I have to run this by some other people.” Or, “I’d like to move forward but first I have to get budget approval.” Or,“Yes, this problem is costing us money, but first we have to fix. . . .” Or, “Yes, I’ve told my boss how serious this situation is, but I can’t seem to get through to her.”

  People don’t buy in the “want to” stage—they procrastinate due to fears, doubts, lack of money, lack of authority, conflicting priorities, or ti
ming issues. But that doesn’t mean you should abandon them. Your number-one job is to identify the objections and agendas (which may be hidden) and resolve them so you can move the buyer to the “have to” stage, where they clearly recognize the need for change outweighs any desire to stay put.

  With buyers in the “should” stage, it’s obviously too soon to start closing. You’ll either get a brush-off or a buyer who pretends to be interested (either out of politeness or to get more information from you). But even though buyers in this stage aren’t ready to be “closed,” you can and should be asking for a next step. For example:

  Salesperson: So it sounds like this is something that your management is thinking about, right?

  Buyer: Well, yes, they’re thinking about it. But I don’t think it’s a priority right now.

  Salesperson: And why is that?

  Buyer: We’re in the middle of a systems upgrade right now. Until we get that done, we can’t really focus on this issue.

  Salesperson: When do you think you’ll get that done?

  Buyer: It’s supposed to be done by the end of the year.

  Salesperson: Assuming that happens, do you think what we discussed will then become a priority?

  Buyer: I don’t know. Give me a call then and we’ll figure it out.

  Salesperson: Okay. Can we set up a call for 10:00 a.m. on January 6?

  Buyer: Well, it’s too far out to put on my calendar but give me a call in December and we can talk about where we are for next year.

  With this approach, you’ve efficiently achieved two things: (1) You’ve avoided wasting time on an opportunity that’s not yet ripe and may never be ripe—for example, by spending time trying to “educate” the buyer or trying to create urgency. And (2) you’ve asked for and received a commitment to a next step. Granted, the buyer’s commitment is low—he won’t agree to a time and date, which indicates that the chances of making any progress in December will be minimal. But at least he’s agreed to a phone call to reconnect.

  Another way to know whether it’s time to close is by using opinion questions. As you move through the sales process, ask your buyer what they’re thinking.

  In my experience, salespeople too often skip this simple but important step. For example, how many times have you sat in on a PowerPoint presentation and the salesperson simply plows on to the end, only to find that his or her listeners checked out somewhere along the way? Great sales presenters will stop at key points and ask, “So what are your thoughts? Could you see this working for you? How so?” Or, “Does this look like what you had in mind so far?” Or, “Before this goes further, let me ask how this pertains to what you’re dealing with.”

  So why do many salespeople overlook these basic questions? They’re too focused on getting through their sales pitch. Or they fear they’ll open up the can of worms. Or they don’t have a Plan B if the buyer says the presentation is off base or starts asking questions that could cause the salesperson to lose control of the presentation.

  But this simple technique is incredibly powerful. When you take your buyer’s pulse throughout the sales process, it keeps buyers engaged, shows you are attentive to their needs, and allows you to shift gears so that you stay aligned with what the buyer is thinking.

  Asking for the Order

  It will come as no surprise to you that I don’t believe in “magic questions” when it’s time to ask for the order. A simple, confident, and conversational approach is best:

  “So what do you say?”

  “How soon would you like to get started?”

  “Should we go ahead and finalize the paperwork?”

  “I recommend that you go ahead and approve it today so we can get this set up by _________ and you can start realizing the benefits right away. How’s that sound?”

  “So that you can get the most from ________, I suggest we _________. Does that work for you?”

  You want to convey to your buyer that this is just the next step in a natural process. You don’t want to create anxiety by overselling the close, but at the same time you want to be perfectly clear that you’re asking for a decision.

  Some salespeople try to soften the close by phrasing it as an opinion question. As I’ve said, an opinion question is a great tool for moving toward the close, but not when you’re asking for the business. As a rule of thumb, consider asking at least two opinion questions and if you get positive responses, ask for a decision. For example:

  Salesperson: Is this what you had in mind?

  Prospect: Yes.

  Salesperson: How do you think your boss will feel about it?

  Prospect: Oh, he’ll really like it.

  Salesperson: Okay, then. Why don’t we go ahead and get the paperwork approved so we can get started?

  Wait for It

  Once you’ve presented the proposal and price, remain silent and wait for the buyer’s response. Silence gives a customer an opportunity to reflect.

  Silence can make salespeople extremely uncomfortable. In fact, for some salespeople, closing is the one and only time they shut up.

  Think about that for a moment. In that silence, the customer’s mind is fully engaged as they work out their decision. They don’t have to think nearly as hard when you’re talking. So why limit that powerful process to the last moments of the sale? The more silence you can build into your sales conversations, the more engagement and better thinking you get from prospects. Imagine how much more business you could get!

  If the Answer is No

  So what if the buyer says no?

  Assuming you’ve gotten this far—you’ve properly qualified the buyer, worked hard to understand their needs, and presented what you believe to be a good value proposition—you’ve earned the right to ask the buyer why. Not so you can argue with him or her, but so you can understand what you missed. As long as the buyer is willing to engage in a good-faith dialogue, a “no” isn’t the end of the road. It’s an opportunity for you to gather more information so that you can propose the right solution.

  The conversation might go something like this:

  Buyer: I’m sorry. I just don’t think this is going to work for us.

  Salesperson: Well, of course I’m sorry to hear that. And, to be honest, surprised. I thought I’d addressed the needs you’d expressed. So help me understand what I missed.

  Buyer: Well, I’m just not convinced that we’ll actually see the results you’re promising here. I know you believe you can deliver on them, but if we spend all this money and this doesn’t work, heads will roll, including mine.

  That isn’t all bad news. When buyers give you an unexpected no, they’re really telling you that you didn’t do your due diligence earlier. The buyer has just revealed to you—perhaps for the first time—what’s really at stake for him personally.

  That’s incredibly powerful knowledge—but it means that you do have to take a step back and explore this issue. Often you’ll feel tempted to push forward—you were so close to getting the sale!—but the more you try to gloss over the issues, the more anxiety the buyer will feel.

  Instead, take a deep breath, slow down, and take one step back: You might say: “I understand your concerns and I want to see if we can address them. Can you help me understand why you think this might not work?”

  You may be able to address the buyer’s concerns then and there, or you may have to ask for some more time. For example, you might say, “We both understand that there are no absolute guarantees. At the same time, you’ve acknowledged that your current situation isn’t sustainable. Would it be helpful for you to talk to some of my other clients to learn how they made the program successful?” Or, “Why don’t we go ahead with a pilot so you and your team can realize the benefits firsthand? We’ll even back it up with a thirty-day satisfaction guarantee, which will minimize the risk and investment on your end.”

  It’s disappointing to have to back up when you thought you had a deal, but don’t panic. Flush out the concerns. Get them out on the ta
ble. Let the prospect talk. In many ways it’s therapeutic to allow them to verbalize their concerns, so they can come to the right conclusion—which of course is to move forward, all based on your questions.

  CHAPTER

  16

  Upselling and Cross-Selling Questions

  Stop Leaving Money on the Table and Get Your Full Share of the Customer’s Business

  CONSIDER THIS REAL-LIFE scenario:

  I was consulting with a tire wholesaler, which worked with agricultural equipment dealers. These dealers have a lot of inventory sitting on their lots. One way to move that inventory is to configure it to meet the needs of a specific buyer. For example, a farmer may grow alfalfa, but the dealer has a tractor that’s set up for corn farming. By switching out the wheel sets—a relatively inexpensive modification—the dealer can set up the tractor for alfalfa and close a sale.

  New wheel sets require new wheels—and in a hurry. So when the dealer calls the tire wholesaler, the salesperson jumps on the order. It’s a quick and lucrative sale. The salesperson is happy. The dealer is happy. The farmer is happy.

  Everybody’s happy. Maybe a little too happy—because a huge opportunity was missed.

  I worked with the distributor’s sales force to turn these calls into upselling opportunities. Instead of simply taking the order, I urged salespeople to ask a series of follow-up questions. For example:

  “Hey, Bob. While I have you on the phone, tell me about some of the other hard-to-move equipment sitting on your lot right now. How long has it been sitting? What’s it costing you in terms of financing charges, overhead, etc.?

  “Also, what kind of equipment are you seeing a high demand for? If you could fit out this equipment with different wheel sets, do you think you could meet that demand and move more stuff off your lot?