September 22nd, 2008
It is All About Asking The Right Questions!
In football it is all about angles. I witnessed the Bears running back Forte outrun the Colt’s all pro safety Bob Sander for a touchdown. It was said Bob had a bad angle. I say, well then change your angle. In sales you need the right questions to find business. My hope here is to start a dialog on questions and ask help from fellow bloggers that may know some worthy probes.
When I began a sales career, selling blood analyzers to medical centers. There were 3 questions, I was sure to ask each institution.
Have you been looking for new blood chemistry analyers? Have you budgeted, how much did you budget?What month is the money available? OK, that may have been 4 questions but the one was a 2 part question. I would ask these questions to build my prospect bank and to find out who had money, and when they could buy. These are great questions but you find prospects that are in the market and thus there will be much competition. Not a bad thing but no guarantee of success.
Another prospect could be developed from a concept that you uncover by asking the right questions.Here is an example of a question and a better question. I see you use analyzer XYZ, how do you like it? Answer, we love it. better question, I see you use analyzer XYZ, please describe for me how this analyzer helps you the most? This question gets your prospect talking. Here is another example of bad and good questions. Does analyzer XYZ ever cause you problems? Answer no not much. A better question is, I can tell analyzer XYZ is a good instrument, if you could change any thing to make it perfect for you what would it be and how would that make your job easier?
If your prospect explains to you how a change in the analyzer could make her job easier, a door may open for you to walk through and conduct business. You say you wish analyzer had a faster stat time, so the ER doctors would would have a higher opinion of the lab. I know the doctors opinion would mean a lot and if I could show you how the additional speed our system provide your important stat samples, you would have a sincere interest wouldn’t you?
Pretty good but I need help, I am asking the following bloggers for help in formatting good questions to use in business.
Ben Means Business.
The 2008, best business blog, black weblog awards, young black professional guide.
I am asking these business leaders for their comments on questions. Click on their sites to see some great blogs!
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:42 pm
As quoted by Tony Robbins: Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers. Question are an important asset to business and worth getting right. Asking questions that cause the prospect to clarify the outcome is an useful way to get results. Questions such as: What is your desired outcome, what would you have done differently, why did you start an online business, etc., these are all questions that aid in helping you to see into the future. There are also those questions that show you how to better serve or support. Questions such as: What did you learn, what would you have done differently, how could I improve, what other support do you need, and etc. A lot of the better questions are also derived from the prospects problems. If any research can be done prior to speaking with your prospect, you have a greater chance at discovering what is already eating away at them and solve that problem. Now you have serviced them in such a way that they now come to you as their problem solver. Problem solved.
September 24th, 2008 at 11:55 am
Hey Jim, you already ask some of the top ticket questions out there already! Your questions inspire all of us!
Like you Jim, I too sense that well crafted questions keep us all alive and growing in wisdom on the tough issues. They also help us to find a better way across differences, in creating new solutions that draw from wonderfully diverse pools for answers that no one population alone can provide.
I developed what I term 2-footed questions to get at what I think you are after here, and I too see value in deep diving into.
Hey Jim, did you see the questions I posed at Brain Learners and Leaders at http://www.brainleadersandlearners.com/mita-question/two-footed-questions-for-ten-friends/?
I love the 2-footed questions that stir great discussions (with opposing views valued) on your site. It’s a pathway to growth on the key topics — as I see it.
That’s my 2-bits, and it will be fun to see others insights on a topic I care deeply about:-). Stay blessed Jim!
September 24th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Hi Ellen, I will visit your link to see the 2 footed questions. In sales we use a type of question called alternate choice advancement question. This is when you ask the big payday question quickly followed upped by a less important alternate choice question. For example, lets say you are selling a 200,000 dollar analyzer. “All I need is your approval for your emergency room doctors to start enjoying the benfits of quicker stat results, by the way would you send Joe or Jane to training? By shifting the attention from the 200k question to a choice for training, you lead your prospect to focus on a decision that indicates they have brought your product. When they answer, Joe or Jane, they also have said yes to the 200k. Ellen thanks for such good insight to this discussion
September 24th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Hey Jim, Interestingly I’d asked you a question back at that site:-) on Sept 1st, at http://www.brainleadersandlearners.com/mita-question/two-footed-questions-for-ten-friends/, as I did to other people whose ideas really jumpstart thinking in powerful ways:-)
September 24th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Sista-WAHMS, you 2 have wonderful questions and are showing how to get your prospect involved with giving you a better understanding of their situation. As you know the more you understand about your prospect the more success you have. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge!
September 24th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Ellen you post and question were compelling, your question regarding people of diverse backgrounds coming together for a common good piqued me to give this answer;
Ellen, how did I miss this great question. I will ask you one as well. Do you think if wall street had more diversity in their ranks the greed would have been less?
In answer to your question, we must leave sterotypes at the door and, take the time to understand each other as people striving for trust and respect. I enjoy a diversty of friends of different back grounds, income, gender, gender preference,sizes,political views,personalities,religions,education, and all that is befor race or color. If we allow ourselves to think, diversity only means not white, then we are very mistaken. The implication is white is right which causes anger on all sides, no mater what you are you are unique. But if we take the time to understand each other we will find we are more alike than different.
September 24th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Hey, Jim, YOUR QUESTION WINS OVER MINE TO YOU.
How so?
It stirs up everything I care deeply about and I will write a blog to take it on! Stay tuned friend - I’ll be back soon on this one!!
September 25th, 2008 at 11:43 am
Hi Ellen, your post on Wall Street and implications diversity would have on greed, will be of great interst to me. you should have great debate, so I will stay tuned.