30 Customer Questions to Enhance Your Selling

Here are some strong questions to ask when you are analyzing your
customer needs.

1.	Who are your best customers? How many customers do you have?
2.	What differentiates your organization and your products/services from your competition?
3.	What are your three greatest challenges related to direct marketing?
4.	Can you walk me through the sales process of your product or service?
5.	Help me understand your timeline for reaching your marketing objectives.
6.	Where would you like to see (company name) in 90, 120 days?
7.	What is the best way for me to be of service to you?
8.	How are your decisions made?
9.	Describe what you would like to see accomplished.
10.	How do you acquire new customers?
11.	What data sources do you currently use?
12.	How do you measure the effectiveness of your campaigns?
13.	When I leave here, what three things do I need to accomplish?
14.	How do you find new customers?
15.	How do you currently market your products or services?
16.	What is your marketing budget?
17.	How is your company/department structured, and how does it relate/interact with other divisions?
18.	What do I need to provide you in order to earn your business?
19.	Explain to me how your marketing decisions are made, and who is involved in those decisions.
20.	Are you currently purchasing marketing information or sales leads?
21.	Do you have a customer database? How do you update it?
22.	Have you utilized analytical reporting such as market penetration analysis/customer profile analysis?
23.	What type of demographics information do you know about your customers?
24.	How do you measure your customer value?
25.	How frequently do you contact your customers?
26.	Do you provide lead generation on behalf of your reps?
27.	How are territories defined?
28.	How many salespeople are in your organization?
29.	How much data are you currently purchasing?
30.	If I gave you an open checkbook, how would you spend your budget to achieve your marketing objectives?

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First They Must Buy the Salesperson

In any major sale, a prospect makes a predictable series of buying decisions that lead up to the final purchasing decision. The first and most important of these is "Do I 'buy' the salesperson?" This decision is always made before the prospect will seriously consider other factors such as product features or price.

Most salespeople devote the majority of their selling time to 'pitching' their products or services. Here's the problem: Whether prospects realize it or not, the first thing they decide is whether they like and trust you. If you bury your prospect beneath a mountain of product features, while they are making the salesperson decision, you're probably in deep trouble.

If prospects make the salesperson decision while you are droning on about product features, their answer will be 'No!'

When prospects like and trust you, everything else about the sales process becomes much easier. So how can you sell yourself better?

Here are a few ideas:

Prospects either 'buy' the salesperson during every sales call - or they don't. The other buying decisions are far more likely to go in your favor when you are effective at selling yourself.

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Outlining the Negotiation Process

Here is a handy outline to help you familiarize yourself with the negotiation process.

Negotiation defined

• A means to conflict resolution
• To deal with, bargain

The power negotiator

• The ability to make others feel that they have won.
• Henry Kissinger said, 'Effectiveness at the negotiating table depends upon overstating demands.'

How to negotiate

• Preparing
  • Know the facts
  • Set aside a time
  • Know your interests
  • Assess all alternatives
  • Know the other side
  • Check out an negotiate with other parties to whom we are accountable
  • Have a positive metaphor for negotiation
• Negotiation stages
  • Mating dance
    • The set of preliminaries when negotiations start
    • Where the meeting will be held
    • How and when to appear
    • Dress
  • Diagnosis
    • Each side learns what the other side knows
    • Did we research the same facts?
  • Exploring interests
    • Each side puts their interests on the table
    • This is not the 'bottom line'
  • Problem Solving
    • Develop options without commitment
    • Look for win/win opportunities
    • Brainstorming
  • Commitment to outcome
    • Both sides should feel it is in their best interest to implement the agreement
    • Commit in writing if it is a complex agreement
  • Sequencing and breaks
    • The stages are presented as a sequence, but sometimes you need to backup
    • Taking a break can be important

Trust and ongoing relationships

• Trust is a difficult concept in the process
  • 'Prisoners' dilemma'
  • Minimizes transaction costs
• Secrecy in negotiations
  • Should proceed behind closed doors
  • Should be informal, but disciplined
• The role of third parties
  • Mediator
  • A facilitator
  • Helps parties through the negotiation process
  • Managers

Myths

• If you're not tough you will lose.
• Do not give away too much information.
• Do not acknowledge the others side.
• Give an inch they will take a mile.
• Negotiating is about getting the other side to do things they do not want to do.
• If the other side has all the power there's no point.
• Do not apologize; you will give away ground.

The truth about negotiating

• Be tough on principles, soft on people.
  • Stick to your interests
  • Realize all people want to be treated professionally
• Do not give away the bottom line, but be honest about your interests.
• It helps to restate the other side's arguments and interests.
• Be flexible.
• Each side's can win according to their own principles.
• We often overestimate the other side's power.
  • Power shifts throughout the negotiation process
  • Be aware of bluffing
• It is okay to apologize.
  • It shows an interest in the relationship
  • It restores mutual respect

Key strategies for dealing with difficult customers

• Know your walk away.
  • Build the number of variables you can work with during the negotiation
  • Do not focus on price
• When under attack, listen.
  • Keep them talking
  • New information can increase the room for movement and the number of variables
  • Listening without defending helps to defuse any anger
• Keep track of the issues requiring discussion.
  • Brief recaps help maintain control
  • View objections as issues to address
• Assert your company's needs.
• Commit to a solution only after it proves to work for both parties.
• Save the hardest issues for last.
  • Resolving easy issues creates momentum
  • Discussing easier issues may uncover additional variables
• Start high and concede slowly.
  • Studies show that high expectations produce the best negotiating results and low expectations the poorest
  • Remember any concession is likely to have a different value for buyer and seller
  • Begin by giving things the customer values highly but have little incremental cost for your company
    • Control of the process
    • Assurance of quality
    • Information on new technology
    • Credit
    • Timing of delivery
    • Customization
    • Service
• In most competitive sales situations, the salesperson has to make the first concession in order to keep the deal alive.
• Do not be trapped by emotional blackmail
  • Withdraw
    • Ask for a break
    • Reschedule
  • Listen silently
    • Do not nod
    • Maintain eye contact and a neutral expression
    • After the tirade, suggest a constructive agenda
  • Use assertive pacifism
    • Refuse to fight
    • Never close a door, keep opening new ones
  • React openly to the customer's anger
    • Say you find it unproductive
    • Suggest focusing on a specific non-emotional issue

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