rapport
- find commonalities
Neither people nor organizations buy products, they seek out the ____ with the benefits that certain features provide
satisfaction
sales is an interactive process of ____ _____
exchanging information
dichotomous questions
multiple choice questions
are designed to penetrate below generalized or superficial information to elicit more articulate and precise details for use in needs discovery and solution identification.
“ how are you handling ____?”
- request clarification
-encourage elaboration
probing questions
- use open- and closed-end questions to confirm and uncover attitudes, opinions, and preferences the prospect holds.
- designed to go beyond generalized fact finding and uncover prospects’ perceptions and feelings regarding existing and desired circumstances and potential solutions.
- questions include “How do you feel about ?” “Do you see the merits of ?” and “What do you think ?”
evaluative questions
- are used to shift or redirect the topic of discussion when the discussion gets off course or when a line of questioning proves to be of little interest or value
- “Earlier you mentioned that . Could you tell me more about how that might affect ?”
tactical questions
- are questions that refer to or directly result from information the other party previously provided.
- are used to elicit additional information, explore for further detail, and keep the flow of information going. -“You mentioned that . Can you give me an example of what you mean?” and “That is interesting. Can you tell me how it happened?”
reactive questions
questions designed to uncover a buyer’s current situation and inherent problems, enhance the buyer’s understanding of the consequences and implications of those problems, and lead to the proposed solution.
SPIN
This type of question solicits data and facts in the form of general background information and descriptions
- used early in the sales call and provide salespeople with leads to develop the buyer’s needs and expectations fully
- least powerful
- most people ask too many of these
- “how many people do you employ?” “what does your ___situation look like?”
- discovery questions
Situation questions
- follow the more general questions to probe further for specific difficulties, developing problems, and areas of dissatisfaction that might be positively addressed by the salesperson’s proposed sales offering.
- ““How critical is this component for your production?” “What kinds of problems have you encountered with your current suppliers?”
- actively involve buyer
- asking abt consequenses/effects
- ppl dont ask enough of these
Problem questions
-follow and relate to the information flowing.
- Their purpose is to assist the buyer in thinking about the potential consequences of the problem and understand the urgency of resolving the problem in a way that motivates him or her to seek a solution
- most powerful of spin
- “How does this affect profitability?”
“What impact does the slow response of your current supplier have on the productivity of your operation?” “How would a faster piece of equipment improve productivity and profits?” and
“What happens when the supplier is late with a shipment?
Implication Questions
propose a solution and develop commitment from the buyer.
These questions refocus the buyer’s attention to solutions rather than problems and get the buyer to think about the positive benefits derived from solving the problems
- “Would more frequent deliveries allow you to increase productivity?”
-“If we could provide you with increased reliability, would you be interested?”
-“If we could improve the quality of your purchased components, how would that help you?” and
-“Would you be interested in increasing productivity by 15 percent?”
Need-payoff questions
SPIN stands for
Situation, problem, implication, need payoff
questioning system that uses a logic-based funneling sequence of questions, beginning with broad and generalized inquiries designed to identify and assess the buyer’s situation.
ADAPT
One of the five stages of questions in the ADAPT questioning system that do not seek conclusions but rather should address the buyer’s company and operations, goals and objectives, market trends and customers, current suppliers, and even the buyer as an individual.
assessment questions
One of the five stages of questions in the ADAPT questioning system that follows up on the assessment questions; they should drill down and probe for further details needed to develop, clarify, and understand the nature of the buyer’s problems fully
discovery questions
One of the five stages of questions in the ADAPT questioning system used to “activate” the customer’s interest in solving discovered problems by helping him or her gain insight into the true ramifications of the problem and to realize that what might initially seem to be of little consequence is, in fact, of significant consequence.
activation questions
One of the five stages of questions in the ADAPT questioning system used to encourage and facilitate the buyer in “projecting” what it would be like without the problems that have been previously “discovered” and “activated.”
projection questions
One of the five stages of questions in the ADAPT questioning system used to smooth the transition from needs discovery into the presentation and demonstration of the proposed solution’s features and benefits
transition questions
Listen to understand, not to reply. Resist the urge to interrupt and receive the full message the buyer is communicating.
pay attention
Make effective eye contact and check to see if the buyer’s body language and speech patterns match what is being said.
monitor nonverbals
Confirm your correct understanding of what the buyer is saying by paraphrasing and repeating what you have heard.
paraphrase and repeat
Ask questions to clarify the meaning of what the buyer is communicating.
make no assumptions
