Mark Walker, J M Walker Group, Inc.

Early in my sales career, I made a lot of assumptions about what my prospects and customers meant during our conversations. This really slowed down my progress in getting the orders and once caused me to sell the wrong thing to a customer.

Here are some open-ended questions I have learned to ask to get the facts:

• Who Else? Once my company became an approved supplier, asking questions about how decisions are made. "What is the usual decision process when you are selecting from among several options?" or "Who else needs to agree to this before you can place the order with us?"
• Background. "What has worked (or NOT worked) for you in the past?"
  "How often does this problem (circumstance, re-order, application) come up?"
  "What evidence have you seen that shows you that?"
• Clarification. "Let me see if I understand clearly." (Then repeat your understanding the situation and continue until they agree that you have it right.)
• Think from Their View. Sometimes this is a good way to begin a relationship with a new contact: "What do you want to have accomplished (learned, resolved, etc) at the end of our discussion today?"

I have also learned some questions from others that have been very useful. Kevin Simons, of Atlanta-based Expedient Management Services, gave me two in a recent conversation:

1. "What is the most important thing to you in making your decision on (your product or service)."

2. "What has to happen for you to feel as though you are getting that?"

Often sales people stop asking when they feel like a question might make the customer (or themselves) uncomfortable. If your experience tells you the customer is on the wrong track, ask questions to help him discover that. Ever get the feeling that the prospect should probably have already bought from the present supplier? If YOU feel this, the prospect probably feels it too. Think like the prospect should think and ask something like, "It sounds like you've gotten great service from your present supplier. Why haven't you placed the order with them?"

You may uncover a real challenge that you can resolve that the other supplier can't. Or you might discover that you cannot provide what they need, or don't want the business based on what you learn. You might also uncover that the prospect needs three quotes, and is just getting one from you so she can go ahead and buy from her favored vendor.

When you ASK intelligent questions about the customer's needs, you demonstrate sincerity and professionalism. And you're more likely to learn what you need to know to make the sale!