As a salesperson, easy! Sell them things.
But, are you getting the money from people like how you imagined? If not, continue reading and see how many of these mistakes are you making.
In order to sell something to a prospect, you need to know what information we need. Once you get the information and work around it, chances are higher that they want what you are offering and you get money from them!
Many salespeople do not get the money because they lack information. CIA and police get information from suspects because it is vital for them to close their investigation/case. Likewise, it is the same principle for sales.
Probing skills are questioning skills. Some sales school calls it interviewing, some call it needs analysis but they are all the same, ASKING QUESTIONS.
Many salespeople I know do not like to ask questions because it requires listening. They rather talk than listen. They like to show off their presentation skills and bombard their clients with loads and loads of product information. Again, without knowing your client’s needs and want, how can you expect to sell?
Common mistakes causing you NOT being able to get money from people through information
1. Sales People Ask Too Few Questions
Salespeople probe a few and after the buyer gives them some information, the seller immediately jumps into solutions mode known as presentation.
2. Sales People Don’t Go Deep Enough With Questions
The seller asks the buyer ” Tell me, what bothers you about X?”. The buyer replies ” Oh… I’m afraid that it may not do Y”. The seller goes “I see. Ok, what else bothers you?”, jumping into questions after questions without penetrating to the core issue. Big mistake if you plan to get money from people
3. Sales People Asks Too Late
Some information should be obtained at the beginning of the sales rather than the end. A client once told me a case about his case rep. It was the third meeting and the buyer said he needed to talk to his boss about the product. The name of the boss in the 3rd meeting is too late. We must get that information at the beginning of the sales call not the end.
4. Sales Person Uses Limited Probing Questions
“What is your budget?” The common question right? But, this approach may not be the best way ( but necessary at times). Do buyers normally reveal their budget? Yes and no. What if it is a ‘No’? You must use different questions to get the same information.
5. Sales Person Don’t Have a Probing System
Sometimes the salesperson asks 5 questions, sometimes they ask 7 questions. They are random. It makes the data gathering process disorganized and casual. A salesperson needs to know exactly what needs to be asked each time. That’s how sales pros work! That’s how the pros get money from buyers. They make the sales predictable!
Are you in the B2B Business?
A salesperson needs to find out the current situation of the buyer, they need to find out their future plans, who their current supplier is, what is the service level they are having, challenges they are facing, what opportunities are they to explore, and lots more!
Or Are you in the B2C Business?
The salesperson needs to find out the buyer’s intention of the purchase, family member information, product related questions for exercise product questions “How often do you exercise?” or for investment “What kind of investments have you done before?” It is important to know what kind of work the buyer does, how soon do they need the product?
Are You Now Able To Get Money From People?
As you can see, probing requires lots of skills. The ability to elicit and collect information from the buyer needs awareness and attention.
If the seller is curious about the buyer’s situation, they naturally will ask more questions. If the seller is focusing on the sale, they naturally want to persuade the buyer to buy through the presentation.
So probing not just is a skill but it’s also a mindset. Moreover, probing needs to be coupled with listening skills.
The consultative selling approach is listening to a customer’s needs and then provide solutions.
If you can master this, you will be on your way to get money from people
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