Recently a team of sellers decided they wanted to create a list of the best questions to ask on a sales call. We first determined WHY they wanted this list. They wanted it to :
(1) make every conversation matter and
(2) advance the sale.
It was decided for every conversation to matter it should follow the WIIFT acronym… What’s In It For Them and by follow ta 4-Point Investigate Model© to advance the sale.
Here are some (not all) of the questions this team felt would achieve their goals.
These questions are in no particular order.
Today
1. What are your 3 biggest business challenges today?
2. How have past experiences influenced (improved or limited) your current business practice’s?
3. Tell me more about the nature of the event which prompted you to realize that some changes need to be made.
4. What are the 5 critical factors that (switching, adding, changing) need to be included.
5. How important is this to you?
Tomorrow
1. What does the ideal solution look like for you?
2. It is important for you as a company to build long term relationships with our clients. Share with me your vision of growth over the next 10 years and how important it is for you to have a long term partner in this vision?
3. For a moment, and let’s fast-forward to the day, hopefully sooner than later, that you’ve had your new system in place long enough to have begun realizing its benefits. What changes do you foresee being most valuable to: 1) you 2) your staff 3) your customers 4) your business, and why?
4. Help me understand any challenges you may have with your existing system and what if anything you would like to change if you could?
5. What do you expect the result you receive to look like?
Risk
1. What are the potential consequences of not taking any action at this time?
2. What are the pros and cons if you remain status quo?
3. What would NOT happen if you did NOT (do this)?
4. What would NOT happen if you DID?
5. What other way or ways could you have worked through this and what would the outcomes have been?
Reward
1. What is the best thing that can happen?
2. Once you get there, how is it going to improve your situation?
3. What WOULD happen if you DID?
4. What will implenting this do for you and your company?
5. What will you do with the time, money, savings this will bring the organization?
A bonus realisation the sellers came to is these questions will differentiate them from the competition.