Allow your prospect to understand the value of what you have to offer by the questions you ask.

In preparing for a sales call, you should at the minimum develop the following:

4 Questions that will allow the customer to explain to you their needs and the benefits they desire.

3 Questions for which you don’t have the answer.

2 Questions that link back to what the customer shared with you on a previous call.

1 Question that closes the sale.

A sales call that does not include a question that asks for the order is not a sales call!

This process has served me well and I’ve shared it with thousands of salespeople across numerous companies around the United States and the world. Each time I do, I get comments back about how effective it is.

Build your sales presentation around the questions you’re going to ask and not the material or cute pictures you want to share.  Questions get the customer talking and in the end, that’s what you need if you intend to close a sale.

The order above is 4,3,2,1, and it serves as an easy way to remember them. However, when it comes time to use them, here is the order you need to use:  2,4,3,1.

Let me explain.

First, you want to open with questions that link back to something they shared with you previously.  Linking back to something the customer shared with you shows how much you respect that they share with you and demonstrates your listening skills.

Second, you want to ask questions to uncover new needs.

Third, you want to ask questions for which you don’t have the answer. This is a way to really get the discussion moving.  Finally, you ask for the order.

A very simple process that is amazingly effective.

Copyright 2013, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.