Not the ones you ask... but the ones your prospects/customers ask! You know how it usually goes... you're on a call and the customer asks you about a product or service that you provide. Of course you see this as the opening you've been waiting for. (salivating) You get out the feature benefit machine gun, cock it and load it and engage in a quick round of "pray and spray", dumping all your best stuff and thinking there is no way they can resist buying. Unfortunately, it just doesn't go that way and instead of saying "I'll take two" they say "can you send me some literature"? Dumbfounded, you walk out in disbelief wondering what went wrong??
Information seeking questions are usually driven by hidden agenda's, or have multiple answers with only one being the winner. Your zeal to answer and provide knowledge is often a mistake and can end up costing you a lot of money. You may be better off not answering but finding out why the questions were asked in the first place.
Information seeking questions are often best handled with a communication strategy called "reflecting". Reflecting involves simply "asking a question about the question" that reflects the original question back to the prospect to get more information. Some types of information seeking questions you need to be cautious of and that need to be reflected are:
1. Questions about your products or services.
2. Questions that ask you to compare your product against another.
3. Questions about your competition.
4. Questions about delivery, price, quality, service, etc.
All of these questions are asked in context with additional information that you are not aware of. Your ability to understand the context within which they are asked will give you a higher percentage chance of providing an answer that will benefit you.
Think about a questions that revolves around product. "Tell me a little about your "knutten valve"?" Now, if you had a "knutten valve" instead of telling them about it, you might be better served by saying "I'd be happy to... was there a reason that you have an interest in our "knutten valve"?" There is always a reason and your ability to find out what it is will put you in a much better position to give an answer that will benefit you.
"What/or who's knutten valve are you currently using and is there something that you would like to change about what you are using now?" If they are not happy with what they currently have how could you possibly solve a problem that you are not fully aware of? Not knowing what the problem is might get you to make a suggestion on a feature they have already tried and didn't work!
We'll expand on this concept called "reflecting" in upcoming posts but for now ask your self "should I answer or should I ask?" I think you'll find out "not answering" will be your best strategy and have you on the way to making more sales!
Action Step: Write down five questions that you regularly get on sales calls. Then write down the answer you are currently giving. think of what a good questions about the questions would be and plan to use your new "reflectors" on your next sales call.
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