| We now have entire companies that do nothing | | | | solutions. |
| but surveys. Why is that? Is it just a nice thing to | | | | The ones listed here were discovered by surveys |
| do if you are a company? Do these survey | | | | of the small business CEO community. Our survey |
| companies know what they are doing? Well, that | | | | questions are always encoded to get more |
| one could be argued as they have a tendency to | | | | truthful answers. |
| just ask rather plebeian yes or no questions, in | | | | Encoding a question is as follows: |
| contrast to encoded point specific questions that | | | | Normal: What do you like least about current hiring |
| could provide real data. Let's take a look at how | | | | termination regulations? |
| this could help you re-write your sales | | | | Encoded: What about regulatory issues would you |
| representative training by approaching a prospect | | | | change? |
| in a little different way. | | | | The encoded question will bring to mind many |
| Try developing a commonality of issues sheet. It | | | | more answers, and promotes conversation. When |
| is a listing of what long-term issues a perfect | | | | you have completed a number of surveys, and |
| client had BEFORE they purchased your product | | | | the same answers keep coming up, well then you |
| or service. Your product ended up being a | | | | know you have a "live" issue. |
| solution, for their problem. You simply ask them, | | | | This time, the work has been done if it is a match |
| and they are more than happy to tell you. | | | | to what you are selling. We already did the |
| These are new survey results that show | | | | survey, so all that is necessary is to take these |
| common concerns or a commonality of issues | | | | "live" issues, that your product or service can |
| situation among small business owners, If your | | | | address, and put them into a question format and |
| product or service addresses any of these issues | | | | develop your own commonality of issues sheet. |
| you may be halfway there. Those issues are: | | | | This allows you to talk about what the prospect |
| 1. Taxes. | | | | has an interest in, instead of "fishing" and perhaps |
| 2. Health Care. | | | | getting off topic. |
| 3. Cap and Trade. | | | | Here is the format I use... |
| 4. Slow down in the economy. | | | | Commonality of Issues |
| 5. Regulations, particularly on hiring and termination. | | | | "Regulations on hiring and termination?" |
| 6. Litigation. | | | | In Control____ Needs Improvement_____ |
| 7. Workforce efficiency and effectiveness. | | | | "Workforce efficiency and effectiveness?" |
| 8. Lack of credit. | | | | In Control_____ Needs Improvement_____ |
| So there are two sides to this method. One is | | | | I develop this list that has about fifteen questions |
| asking current clients why they purchased and | | | | or less, and as I meet a prospect in an initial |
| what problems your product may have been a | | | | interview, I ask them to fill it out so that we can |
| solution for, and the other is working with the | | | | both see if I can be of any assistance. 99.9% |
| prospect. | | | | agree. That.1 has self-deselected. |
| Just asking a prospect how you can help them is | | | | I now have a direction to go in our conversation. |
| something you may see in your old sales | | | | We are going to talk about things they have |
| representative training, but this is limited to the | | | | already indicated they have an issue with. This is |
| prospect's vision or perspective of what you | | | | very simple and very effective. |
| represent, and your company's ability to render | | | | |