So far we have listened to the client, asked open ended questions and discovered what they really want, now we will take a look at the roadblocks that they may come up with…
Ask the client “What do you think about this so far?” I tend to ask this as I go throughout the meeting.
Why? It saves having to circle back, and it is always good to check in with your prospect to see how they are feeling and what they are thinking.
This is best asked after you do the talking for at least a minute or two, too much talk from you can kill a sale. Keep your conversations, questions and answers short and to the point.
Next, ask about any concerns… for example “What concerns do you have about making a change to using radio?”
It is common for business people who have only used newspaper (for example) to be hesitant to change to radio.
By asking them about those concerns will help them to express any, build trust with you, and deepen the rapport you have started to build with them.
PLUS… it will give you insights on potential roadblocks to address before and during the implementation process.
Answer any of their questions honestly – if you don’t know, tell them you will find out. Be honest.
Then, ask them “What other areas would you like to discuss moving forward?”
Why? You’ve covered everything right?
Even if you think you’ve covered it all, it is always good to check with your prospect to see if they feel the same way.
Because with all the questions and answers prior to this point, they might not have had a chance to bring up other areas that they feel are also important.
Now, before you do anything else – here is another TOP TIP:
Ask them “How would you describe the level of service from your <MEDIA PROVIDER>?”
And also just as important… “How are you evaluating the results for any campaign?”
Not only is this is a buying history question, but it let’s you know what may have gone wrong in the past, so you don’t repeat the same mistakes.
Finally you can start to gather the information you need to start writing a script, preparing your on-air schedule and getting the deal done.
BONUS: Extra questions you can ask at anytime to get a better understanding of what their problems may be.
- What does that mean?
- How does that work?
- Can you help me understand that a little better?
- Can you tell me more about that?
- Can you give me an example of this?
- How did that affect you – personally, as a team and as a business?
Next time we will look at 5 common mistakes that new sales reps make.
Until next time – keep on selling!
