Top 8 Reasons Why you should Use Questions in Closing a Sale

Top 8 Reasons Why you should Use Questions in Closing a Sale

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A professional salesperson is a consultant. He or she should guide the prospect make the right decision all throughout the buying process. What's important is for the salesperson to take charge, to take lead, to be in control and how to do it is through asking the right set of questions.

It has been said that the one in control is the one asking the right questions. A professional salesperson doesn't just tell people but he asks them. More often than not, if you tell people things- they tend to doubt it but if you relay the message through asking the right questions- they believe it. Or in other words, if you say it- they doubt it and if they say it- it's true. This holds true especially if you haven't established your credibility yet- either you're just starting out in the business or simply because you haven't known each other yet.

Top 8 reasons why you should use questions in closing a sale:

1.To gain control
2.Isolate areas of interest
3.Acknowledge of facts
4.To receive minor agreement
5.It defines the areas where there is most interest in their minds.
6.To arouse and control emotions.
7.To isolate objection
8.To answer objections

Here's why:

• To gain control - Not only this will keep the process smooth and orderly but as well as this saves you time by strictly following the Basic Steps in Selling.

• Isolate areas of interest - Basically forms part of the Needs Analysis stage. An excellent opportunity to get to know and understand your customer. Can also be a great way of making sure that the prospect is highly Qualified.

• Acknowledge of facts - Present ideas and make sure that you get a buy-in. Don't fight your prospect simply because you knew that he or she has the wrong knowledge or information. Your role here is to convince and it now depends on your creativity on how to present the facts so that you'll get the acknowledgement or the agreement that you need.

• To receive minor agreement - According to Tom Hopkins, the Number One American Sales Trainer- "A sale is nothing more than a sum total of yeses!" By asking the right questions at the right time, make sure that you and your prospect has some minor agreements established early on along the sales process. As you came closer to the final Closing Stage, this wouldn't be difficult for you.

• It defines the areas where there is most interest in their minds - The step where you use the FAB Selling (Features, Advantages, Benefits Selling). What are the benefits of your products compared with the competitors and the type or the quality of the service that  they're most interested in.

• To arouse and control emotions - By this time, you now have the idea on what could possibly be their "Hot Button or Buy Button". Through the use of questions, you may make emphasis around it and show the product's great benifits or reasons why they should have your product. This could also be used to deflect certain negative emotions or sentiments towards your product.

• To isolate objection - Through the use of questions, you may be able to identify certain negative perceptions about your product. This could happen through poor product understanding from the customers side or probably through negative reactions heard from somebody who weren't happy with the product. You can isolate their objection by presenting the right information thru influencing and by using the right question.

• To answer objection - Again, if you say it- they doubt it and if they say it- it's true. And you can effectively use this through using the appropriate question relevant at the timebeing. 

Ponder this!
*A professional asks questions and gives the right answer swiftly. Just in time before he hears a not-so-nice reply from the prospect.
*The basic premise of professional selling is - To lead them to make a decision of which you think is the best for them.
*I can't lead people to a decision until I make it.
*The saddest part of the selling profession is - the Average Salesperson lets them make the decision!
Example: What do a Doctor tells you when you are sick? Is he not telling you what to do for you to get healed? That's the same with Professional Salesperson. He tells you what to buy!
Another example: A taxi driver lets you drive to your destination or a Surgeon gives you a scalpel and let you try it on yourself for awhile.
*A professional makes the decision because that's the reason they're professional.
*Don't ask a question that you think the customer can't answer because it will make them feel stupid.
*If a customer don't like you then they will not buy from you.
*If your tactics are sound, they can't fight you.
*With questions - you are in absolute control.
 
Happy Selling! ;D