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Casual Articles - Busting Your Assumptions: Effective Probing Techniques for Sales Professionals
Why on earth would you want to run an event for your business? Events take a lot of organizing and publicity, not to mention the time you might not have and, depending on what you want to do, they can also cost quite a bit of money.So is it really worth all that effort?In a word, yes!An event is a fantastic way to get a whole lot of your clients and potential
Listen to yourself this week as a mini-test. If you are doing more talking than asking, you’re probably making a lot of assumptions. If your opinion is front and center and you are not curious about what someone else is thinking, the
Many Independent Financial Advisers (IFA’s) are considering CeMAP training as a way to increase their business profitability by adding to the range of products that they are able to advise on. By undertaking the CeMAP training and becoming qualified, an Independent Financial Adviser can then offer mortgage advice as well as advising on the range of products in hi
- “I lost the sale because my price was too high.”
- “I know exactly what my customer wants.”
- “I can’t hold a member of my team accountable for the delays in our project because she won’t like me if I do.”
- “I don’t delegate often enough because I know I can do the work better myself. “
These assumptions may be correct. However, they also might only be partially right or they might be absolute bunk.
The problem with assumptions is that we are certain they are true. We unquestioningly believe, for example, that if we ask a customer about their needs, we look stupid (shouldn’t I instinctively know their needs?).
Also, making assumptions can easily lead to a negative outcome in our dealings with customers. For instance, I go nuts when a salesperson starts solving my problems when they haven’t asked me about my situation. I know I am not alone here.
Listen to yourself this week as a mini-test. If you are doing more talking than asking, you’re probably making a lot of assumptions. If your opinion is front and center and you are not curious about what someone else is thinking, then
Subscribing to the old adage “two minds are better than one”, mastermind groups employ the use of like-minded people who come together to challenge one another, create and implement objectives, and to brainstorm ideas in order to support each other in the pursuit of a common goal. Like rungs on a ladder, each member of a mastermind group aids and sustains the others in his or her
- “I don’t delegate often enough because I know I can do the work better myself. “
These assumptions may be correct. However, they also might only be partially right or they might be absolute bunk.
The problem with assumptions is that we are certain they are true. We unquestioningly believe, for example, that if we ask a customer about their needs, we look stupid (shouldn’t I instinctively know their needs?).
Also, making assumptions can easily lead to a negative outcome in our dealings with customers. For instance, I go nuts when a salesperson starts solving my problems when they haven’t asked me about my situation. I know I am not alone here.
Listen to yourself this week as a mini-test. If you are doing more talking than asking, you’re probably making a lot of assumptions. If your opinion is front and center and you are not curious about what someone else is thinking, the
There’s one simple secret to effective meetings: set an agenda and stick to it. The agenda drives the content and outcomes of the meeting and, where appropriate, should reflect the needs of all attendees so everyone has a buy-in and an interest in the outcomes. Follow these simple steps for planning and running meetings and you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve. And, just in c
The problem with assumptions is that we are certain they are true. We unquestioningly believe, for example, that if we ask a customer about their needs, we look stupid (shouldn’t I instinctively know their needs?).
Also, making assumptions can easily lead to a negative outcome in our dealings with customers. For instance, I go nuts when a salesperson starts solving my problems when they haven’t asked me about my situation. I know I am not alone here.
Listen to yourself this week as a mini-test. If you are doing more talking than asking, you’re probably making a lot of assumptions. If your opinion is front and center and you are not curious about what someone else is thinking, the
After World War II American industry returned to the peacetime production of consumer goods, for which there was unparalleled demand and no competition. Untouched by war, the industrial heartland produced cars, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, mixers, lawnmowers, refrigerators, furniture, carpet, and all the goods for the growing postwar suburbs inhabited by a generation of pro
Listen to yourself this week as a mini-test. If you are doing more talking than asking, you’re probably making a lot of assumptions. If your opinion is front and center and you are not curious about what someone else is thinking, the
Shopping need not mean only shelling out of the bucks on the part of the shopper. With mystery shopping tools being utilized by several market research concerns you, the shopper, may actually be getting paid as you shop around. As a professional shopper or mystery shopper you will be permitted to eat out at restaurants, visit local attractions and shop for books, clothes, baby pr
Listen to yourself this week as a mini-test. If you are doing more talking than asking, you’re probably making a lot of assumptions. If your opinion is front and center and you are not curious about what someone else is thinking, then you have definitely crossed the border into assumption-land.
One way to stop making assumptions is to ask a lot more questions.
Here are five powerful questions that can help you check out whether an assumption is true, and, in the process, connect more effectively with your customers.
1. “Tell me more.”
2. “What do you need?”
3. “What about this is important to you?”
4. “How will this make a difference in your work?
Then confirm your understanding by asking:
5. “So, if I understand you correctly, what you’re saying is … Right?”
Notice that you cannot get a one-word answer to the above questions. The art of selling is to have customers explain, at length, what their situation is, and what they want to do about it. It is not about you blabbering on about your products and services.
To develop the asking-questions muscle, start your questions with the following key words: What, why, tell
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