Five Useful Questions by Seth Godin was my inspiration—read it! These are big questions every salesperson must answer before they can perform effectively, but no one usually asks, and even fewer answer.
What is the real problem with my Sales Forecast?
Salespeople are accepting the first answer from the prospect when they need to dig deeper. Sales Managers should be coaching opportunities in the pipeline with an “ear” that is skeptical.
- Did the salesperson find the compelling reason the prospect will buy from them?
- Did they monetize the real problem, and do they understand how a decision will be made?
The real issue is the salespeople are not asking enough questions, good questions, and tough questions to help the prospect understand how your product or service solves their problems.
How do I find more time?
You don’t. It’s all about how you spend it so ask yourself these questions.
- What can you stop doing that wastes time?
- What can you start doing that makes the time you do have more effective?
Activities that feel good aren’t often the best ROI and we’re quick to lie to ourselves about what we need to do.
How do I improve?
Practice. Practice. Practice. Remember the Alan Iverson rant? Making mistakes is a great experience and will help you improve faster than sitting at a desk reading about selling. Acquiring knowledge is essential but it means nothing until you act on it. There’s no limit on practicing!
How do I change my mindset?
Believe you can! It is difficult for some, but never impossible. Coaches or managers who mentor help tremendously—if you listen and act on their feedback. If you are serious about changing the limiting beliefs between your ears, consider this.
What is the ROI on professional development?
It’s directly related to your effort. Doctors, CPAs, and Engineers spend time in school to learn about their craft and are required to maintain a specific amount of professional development. Salespeople and Sales Leaders don’t need to know more product knowledge but they must learn to be better salespeople and managers. They must ask more questions, great questions, tough questions, and enough questions to understand the problems their prospects and customers have.
