Welcome to the CustomerCentric Selling podcast! Are you attempting to close a deal? Do you wish there was a precise guideline - a good line of inquiry – that you could use anytime you're speaking with a potential client about an investment or simply displaying your products? Listen here as Frank and Tim walk you through the questions you need to ask yourself to understand better the steps you need to take to get better deals. Numerous corporate relationships have been irreparably damaged as a result of excessive pressure. With a manager coming down and saying we're not on track to meet our monthly goal, we need to bring everything in, and you can go out and close whatever you can, it's almost as if salespeople are held at gunpoint to make that happen. Any time a salesperson attempts to clinch a transaction, there must be some level of pressure involved. Most buyers won't just stroll up at your door with a gift-wrapped order for you. You'll have to ask for the business, and in most circumstances, you'll have to make an effort to obtain it. The fundamental question is, is it appropriate for me to do so? Even if you have a series of events in place, even if the conclusion of business isn't for another few weeks, a month, or a couple of months, the prospect is ready at a certain point in the process, which is called an inflection point. Rather than just flowing and following the path, it's appropriate to give them a gentle nudge. The first thing a salesperson should ask about a prospect is whether or not the potential has a clearly outlined business goal problem or need that they're attempting to address. The first essential principle is that without a goal, there is no future. So, what is the business motivation? What makes them want to do this in the first place? A vision is another thing that a salesperson requires. Salespeople need to have a clear understanding in their minds about what the business objective is and how they're going to help prospects achieve it. Do they have a clear picture of a solution in mind? In other words, have I done the work to create the vision of how, given our capabilities, salespeople need to achieve those goals on the prospect's part? At some point, you must inform your clients about the nature of your assets. The salesperson must know the price of what they are selling. They must be aware of the commitment you are requesting. Many salespeople try to delay announcing the price for much too long. The fourth item a salesperson must establish is who is making the request; does this individual even have the authority to say yes? If that is the case, it is time to proceed. Salespeople frequently get into the trap of negotiating with or attempting to close someone who is not the decision-maker, not even the decision-maker, but the authority to cause the choice to be made. Number five demonstrates this: Nobody makes a purchase based on blind faith. Have we shown that we can deliver the value they have stated is critical for their future success? When do you consider the type of when is it the proper time or not? Relationships evolve and progress at different rates, whether between men and women or between salespeople and prospects. It varies according to circumstance. You must ask yourself this; Have I indeed contributed and covered all of the necessary items? To put it another way, are we prepared to take this to the next level? What to Listen For: Five Things Salesperson Must Know Before Asking A Prospect [05:50] Discussion with Investment Pricing [08:27] Subscribe for weekly podcast episodes & listen wherever you get your podcasts! Quotes: “It's okay to talk price. Once you've built enough value to justify it.” – Tim [08:05] “Salespeople tend to discount when they try to close prematurely.” – Frank [05:40] RESOURCES MENTIONED: Free Trial of our CustomerCentric Online Course CHECK OUT THE CCS ONLINE COURSE
