{"id":3831,"date":"2010-01-09T08:30:13","date_gmt":"2010-01-09T13:30:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/37d57f8fa2.nxcli.io\/blog\/?p=3831"},"modified":"2010-01-08T09:30:18","modified_gmt":"2010-01-08T14:30:18","slug":"just-ask-for-the-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marketingforsuccess.com\/blog\/sales\/just-ask-for-the-business\/","title":{"rendered":"What’s The #1 Thing Sales People Forget To Do"},"content":{"rendered":"

Years ago, UCLA conducted a little survey and asked people who did not make purchases why they didn\u2019t go ahead with whatever it was they were offered. Interestingly enough, the most common answer was that they were never asked.<\/em><\/p>\n

The prospects were contacted, a product or service was demonstrated to them, and their questions were answered. In some cases, they were convinced of the value of the offering and probably would have gone ahead, but nothing happened. The salespeople didn\u2019t ask the prospects to make a commitment or to part with their money, so they didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t ever let the fact that you didn\u2019t ask someone to make a buying decision be the reason a prospect doesn\u2019t go along with you.<\/p>\n

Knowing when to ask, however, is just as important as doing it in the first place. Sometimes salespeople wait so long to ask for the sale that the right time to ask passes them by. To get past this timing challenge, figure out how to take a prospect\u2019s buying temperature. You do this by asking an ownership question, like the following:\"ask<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cNot to be assumptive, but if everything we\u2019ve discussed here makes sense, how soon would you want to begin benefiting from your new computer system?\u201d<\/p>\n

Because you\u2019re asking what could be considered an assumptive question, soften it by beginning with \u201cNot to be assumptive, but. . . .\u201d<\/p>\n

If you were asking a personal question, you would start with, \u201cNot to be personal, but. . . .\u201d Sure, you\u2019re being personal; but by stating it that way, you show respect for the prospect\u2019s privacy and give her an option not to answer if she\u2019s uncomfortable.<\/p>\n

If the prospect answers such a question enthusiastically, in the affirmative, she\u2019s probably ready to go ahead. But if such a question brings up another concern or hesitation, then she\u2019s probably not ripe yet to make a commitment. This strategy is commonly referred to as the trial close.<\/em><\/p>\n

Here are a couple of examples:<\/p>\n

SALESPERSON: \u201cMr. Hall, which delivery date would be best for you, the 8th or the 13th?\u201d<\/p>\n

MR. HALL: \u201cI\u2019d need to have it in my warehouse by the 10th.\u201d<\/p>\n

What has happened in this exchange? As long as the salesperson can meet that delivery date, Mr. Hall owns it. If Mr. Hall is uncertain, he\u2019ll raise an objection here or try to change the subject.<\/p>\n

SALESPERSON: \u201cJim, would you be the one trained on the use of the new system, or would you want someone else to be involved?\u201d<\/p>\n

When Jim tells you who to train, you know that he\u2019s going ahead with the sale. The test close was positive, and now, asking for Jim\u2019s money shouldn\u2019t cause you or him any discomfort. It\u2019s a natural follow up to his positive response.<\/p>\n

– Tom<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
About Tom Hopkins
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