Since the dawn of mankind sales professionals have been overcoming objections, closing sales and selling “stuff”. And over the centuries a predictable pattern has developed between buyers and sellers. The buyer-seller dynamic can spell “commission catastrophe” for the sales professional who lacks the artful skill of effective questioning, and sales trainers can help hone the questioning skills of sales staff.
Essentially the process involves the purchaser following a reliable pattern when choosing to come off his or her hard earned cash to buy something and the unskilled seller who can easily fall victim to this insidious game.
The dynamic begins with buyer gaining as much information about the product or service from the seller as possible. This information may include price, warranties, financing options or delivery options.
Secondly, the buyer will withhold valuable information from the seller. For example, if a buyer walks onto a car lot to buy her dream car, she is unlikely to tell the salesperson that her old car just blew up and that she has a pocket full of cash she’s just dying to spend. Instead, even if she loves the sparkling new car on the showroom floor, she will keep her cards close to her vest. After all, everyone knows that knowledge is power and none of use want to give an advantage to the salesperson; thus, we keep our mouths shut.
Next, the buyer relies on the tried and true strategy of stalling in an effort to put off spending her hard earned money. It’s not that the buyer won’t spend the money, it’s just that given the choice, we all prefer to postpone spending it as long as possible. Stalling also give the buyer the opportunity to revisit competitive offerings one last time and maybe work the seller over a bit on price.
Which brings us to the fourth step in this age old game: The buyer asks for a cheaper price. This step is as predictable as the sun rising over the Atlantic. It is going to happen – even if the buyer likes the product or service and thinks the price is fair. Remember, this process has been ingrained in us for generations and no one writes a check without at least a halfhearted attempt at getting a lower price.
While this series of steps is natural, it can devastate the income of a seller who is not adept at derailing the process with effective questions. For example, when the seller begins step-one, gathering information, an inexperienced seller may begin what I call “Linda Blairing” it — randomly spewing information about how wonderful his product or service is without ever probing for information of his own. When the buyer begins step- two, withholding information, some sellers may continue the Linda Blair routine, further saturating the buyer with more information. When the buyer stalls in step-three, the seller panics and begins offering concessions the buyer hasn’t even asked for, and is then left with no defense when, in step-four, the buyer asks for the lower price.
Sadly, this process is played out countless times everyday to the chagrin of sellers who depends on commissions to pay the bills and business owners who depend on decent margins to keep the doors open.
Here is a real life example of this wicked little game in action with me as the buyer. Recently I walked in a patio furniture store to get information about a cool outdoor umbrella my wife and I had seen at a hotel. As I poked around for information the salesman joyfully bombarded me with information about the umbrella, delivery information and finance options.
As he watched me flip over the price tag, which read $1697 (it was a nice umbrella and I always buy the good stuff), he said, “Yeah, we could get you this for $1600.”
To which I responded, “It says $1697 not $1600.”
“Aw, don’t even worry about that,” he said, “We’ll do it for $1600.”
“Really?” I said. “$1600? Is that the best you can do” I felt obligated to ask to satisfy my ancestral bargain hunter past.
“Actually,” he said, “ I could take off another 10%.”
“That would bring it down to about $1440, right?” I replied.
“You know what, we’ll just do it for an even $1400,” he declared.
“I’ll think about it and let you know,” I said as I walked toward the front door. I could hear his kid’s stomach rumbling from hunger pangs.
Now here is the thing: How much the umbrella cost was the least of my worries. The primary motivation for my purchase was the intense Colorado sun that blazes on an uncovered section of our 1100 square feet of redwood deck. Furthermore, he began offering discounts BEFORE I EVEN HAD THE PLEASURE OF ASKING! Had he been even remotely curious about WHY I wanted a giant, expensive umbrella he would have been far more likely to earn a commission and feed his kid. By the way, the next day my wife and I went into another patio furniture store and dropped 8 grand on the umbrella and new outdoor furniture.
So, this scenario begs the question: How can sales professionals avoid this pitfall, improve the probability of closing the deal while maintaining sustainable margins and commissions? Excellent question.
The solution to closing sales at good margins is the solution to almost any sales problem: Ask questions.
The first series of questions should be designed to uncover the hidden emotions underlying the buyers needs and/or wants. This can easily be accomplished by asking basic questions about the current problem facing the buyer and then following up with a simple question or two about how the buyer “feels” about the current situation or would “feel” about the benefits of the proposed solution.
Once the buyer responds with an emotional term, you will know you are on the trail of what is really driving the purchasing decision. That information can skillfully be used to close the deal without having to resort to dropping the price.
For example, suppose the outdoor furniture seller had asked me how I felt about not being able to use our 1100 square feet of deck when the sun is blazing down. I would have told him that it drives me crazy, thereby disclosing a very uncomfortable emotional state he could later use to secure the sale. At the appropriate time, the seller could have effortlessly assured me that by making the decision to purchase the umbrella, I would no longer feel like a crazy man when the sun is shining. Solving my deeply seated emotional problem would have been a far more effective (and profitable) way to sell than making concessions I hadn’t asked for, thereby generating better commissions for himself and margins for the company.
Another useful way to use questioning is by asking “Duh” questions and then following up by asking, “Why do you say that?” This simple strategy simply requires giving the buyer the answer before asking the question, then benefiting from the classic influence strategy that “public declarations dictate future actions.”
Getting back to our hapless outdoor furniture seller, imagine his effectiveness had he said something like, “Wow. I bet your life would be a lot more enjoyable if you could use your deck in the blazing summer sun, wouldn’t it?”
To which I would have likely responded, “Well, um, yes it would be.” (Duh!)
To which he could have asked “Why do you say that?”
Thereby forcing me to respond, “Well because I am very frustrated now that I can’t use my deck in the blazing summer sun and I would not be frustrated if I purchased this fine umbrella.”
Through this series of questions, the seller would have had me telling him why I need the umbrella and how much better my life will be after I purchase it. Once I state to him what he wants me to say, I am far more likely to take actions consistent with my statements. Remember, public declarations dictate future actions. The seller merely has to hold me accountable to my own words and, bingo, his wife and kids have enough money for groceries and mortgage.
These are only two brief examples of how skillfully asking question change the direction and the dynamic of a centuries old buying-selling cycle. Our choice as sales professionals is simple: Learn to use questions or learn to get by on smaller commissions. We always have a choice, don’t we. What’s it going to be?
www.WeldonLong.com
Weldon Long overcame 20 years of prison, poverty and addiction to become a writer and powerful speaker. He is the author of the award-winning book, The Upside of Fear, and creator of The World’s Most Powerful and Effective Sales System.
