| quarters of the secret to professional, strategic | | | | budget? Who analyzes the technical aspects of |
| selling boils down to asking the Best Questions | | | | your product? Who will be responsible for making |
| and listening carefully to the answers. Most of the | | | | your product work correctly in the organization? |
| Best Questions have to do with uncovering the | | | | This information tells you which features and |
| crucial, underlying needs your products or services | | | | benefits to stress to which audience. BUYING |
| might serve. But you also must know how to sell | | | | PROCESS: How will the buying decision actually be |
| to a particular account. Using the same strategy | | | | made? Who must be "sold" before the transaction |
| for all customers is a big mistake. The issue is: | | | | can be completed? Which criteria will be most |
| how do you compete for this customer's | | | | important in the decision? By getting clear |
| business? How do you know the right way to sell | | | | answers to these questions early in the process, |
| to a customer? You ask. For instance, you need | | | | you can develop a strategy that will shorten your |
| to know when to time your sales calls, who to call | | | | sell cycle, allow you to anticipate and defuse |
| on, what to present to each individual or group | | | | objections that otherwise would arise later, and |
| who will influence the buying decision, and how the | | | | make a lot more sales. IN THE FIELD: Veteran |
| decision ultimately will be made. How do you learn | | | | salespeople are often astonished (and a bit |
| all of this? You learn these answers by asking | | | | embarrassed) by the brave new world that opens |
| questions early in the game. COMPETITION: | | | | up to them after they learn to ask the Best |
| Whom are you competing against for this sale? | | | | Questions. The day after an Action Selling Sales |
| Once you know, you can ask targeted questions | | | | Training Workshop at Eaton Cutler-Hammer, the |
| to draw out specific customer needs that you | | | | southern regional sales manager received an |
| can resolve but your competitors can't. And when | | | | excited voicemail message from one of his |
| presenting features and benefits of your | | | | account executives. "I put one of the selling |
| products, you can lead with your specific | | | | techniques of Action Selling to work today on a |
| competitive strengths. TIME FRAME: When does | | | | sales call and was amazed," said the account |
| the customer expect to make a buying decision? | | | | exec. "By knowing how to ask the Best |
| More importantly, when does the customer want | | | | Questions, I uncovered additional opportunities |
| to begin to reap the benefits expected from the | | | | that I never knew existed! |
| purchase? BUYING INFLUENCES: Who controls the | | | | |