If there is one sales and business development skill that I recommend you have in working order it would be your questioning technique
The ability to question allows you to identify the real issue that your prospect requires a solution for, providing you with the opportunity to provide a precise and unique solution
Drill down and get specific
Drill down on the prospect’s answers to get to a more specific level of understanding of the issue at hand
To use a geographical analogy, think of it as moving a conversation about where to live, from a country to a city to a suburb to a street to a house, each time you are getting more specific as the conversation develops
Specific problem; precise solution
By getting specific on the problem, you can get precise on the solution
Imagine a conversation with the MD of a chain of retail stores:
MD “We need to improve our corporate image”
At this stage, a solution for improving corporate image such as communicating positive aspects of the company in a media campaign might spring to mind. Alternatively you could ask
“What specifically is it about your image that you feel that you need to address?”
MD: “Well, the way our staff are with our customers”
To this answer, I would want to identify WHICH staff they are referring to and what they exactly they mean by ‘are’
MD: “It’s our retail staff. They just look untidy in front of the customers”
‘So it’s the physical appearance of your retail staff that you are concerned about?’
MD: “Exactly”
“Is there anything else besides the physical appearance of your retail staff that you feel is driving the negative image?”
MD: “No, that’s it”
To which you can then discuss the desired physical appearance of the retail staff and explore strategies for achieving this desired outcome.
Drilling down has led to an understanding of the nature of the real issue concerning the MD and the actual solution is a long way removed from your initial thoughts
Building trust
The benefit of this approach is that taking the time to get to the real issue reinforces trust with the prospect
Competitive advantage
So next time you are in conversation with a prospect, drill down, get specific with the issue and give yourself the opportunity to identify and deliver a precise and unique solution.
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