Last week I discussed the importance of sales call preparation. Today I identify 35 high gain sales questions you can use in your first meeting with a prospect.
As you prepare questions for your initial call organize your note pad into three sections (use Post-it notes as tabs)
- General questions/notes (Be sure to write the prospect’s objectives verbatim. Using the prospects exact words in the proposal will be a powerful way to connect with them.
- Your to-do lists. Create as the meeting progresses so it’s handy after the meeting.
- Key buying elements; what the prospect says that will help close the sale.
Begin with big picture questions and narrow to specific actionable elements.
Use the first few questions to build rapport but adjust your questioning based on the buyer type. Often Type A personalities don’t want to spend much time building rapport; they want to cut to the chase. Take your social cues and act accordingly!
Questions should form the framework of a discussion not an interrogation. A powerful tone is to balance inquiry (asking questions) with advocacy (talking, educating, giving advice). BUT resist selling at the first meeting.
Become a 5-year-old…follow every answer with some form of WHY? Psychologists know that the first problem stated is never the problem. Only use open-ended questions.
Determine if any of these questions can be answered by third-party source prior to the meeting. Don’t ask something you can answer by good research before your meeting.
Review your meeting agenda with the prospect and get agreement
- Why are you open to a meeting now?
- What do you know about us (their answer could be a hint of objections)?
- How did you get into the business?
- How long have been doing this?
- What do you love about the business?
- What is your biggest challenge?
- What are your goals for the business?
- Who else is involved in deciding your marketing plan?
- What are the things you’d like to change about your marketing/ad plan?
- What are the must-haves for an ad plan?
- What is your current advertising mix?
- How did you decide your mix?
- What are your biggest growth areas/products?
- What are your best categories/products?
- What are your best sales channels?
- What changes in the competitive landscape/market are impacting you?
- Who is your target audience/demographic?
- What are the biggest misconceptions about your business/product?
- Why do those misconceptions exist?
- What would an ideal marketing solution look like?
- What is working in your marketing/ad program?
- What ISN’T working?
- What is the best sale/offer/event you have had?
- What are the three biggest things you want consumers to know about your business/product?
- What is most important to your customers?
- Who are your biggest competitors?
- What is your cost per sale/customer/lead?
- What is the lifetime value of a new customer? (You can Google some category examples to start the discussion)
- What are the criteria for evaluating proposals?
- What is your budget?
- Is that budget commensurate with your expectations and other marketing initiatives/goals?
- How do you measure success?
- How can we help you grow?
- What is your timeline for implementing new ideas?
- What are the next action steps?
Gaining this data will be sufficient to do a killer proposal which I will cover next week.
Kevin Gephart spent 35+ years selling advertising including 12 years at Clear Channel Outdoor in Minneapolis. He welcomes your sales questions or comments. Email kevinjgephart@gmail.com or use the form below.
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