STEP 3: SIX BASIC QUESTIONS YOU NEED TO ASK ON A BUSINESS MEETING.
Always do your best to get to know your clients’ needs.
Ask questions, be perceptive.
Remember! There are no stupid questions!
When you succeed to make a bond with your client and you are both sure about your common goal – it’s time to define it properly! You may find it handy to follow this list of questions that helps you get to know your customer’s needs better:
1. How did a customer find out that he has a problem? How did he discover that? How relevant is that problem to his business?
Thanks to this question you will know how important a problem is to a client. Is immediate solution essential?
2. How can a client measure that a problem is solved? What factors determine it?
It is important to know what results your client expects and what factors he is going to consider during evaluation. Without proper evaluation it is not possible to state weather a problem was solved or now and how well it was solved. Don’t ignore evaluation!
3. Who or what is influenced the most by this problem? Who or what in the organization suffers the most due to luck of solution?
Look for the allies! Who takes a final decision in the company? Who does a problem concern
the most? Who is able to provide you with most solid information?
4. Does a client have financial means and adequate resources to solve a problem?
I personally think that this is one of the most important questions. It happens too often that consultants do not verify whether a client has resources to execute a plan. As a result, after 2-3 months of negotiation a client quits the talks due to lack of resources needed. It is a huge waste
of time and effort that consultant (and a client!) have put in a particular relation.
That is why I state that you shouldn’t be afraid of asking whether a client has essential resources and how much he is ready to pay for a solution. Budget questions are always a challenge and require some courage but – believe me – they will save you lot of stress when it comes to project budgeting. If a client is prepared to foot the bill it means he is aware of the problem and ready
to implement a solution.
Make sure that a client has all essential tools
and resources to finanse and execute your solution.
5. How does decision process look like? When a client is going to choose a particular solution?
As sales person you are most likely in charge of sales plan execution. Skillfully-created sales funnel is a key for good results (more details will be presented in another article). To be able to plan your actions you need to know your client’s deadlines. Find out how decision process in his company looks like. Who is the person in charge of the final decision?
6. What parameters does a client consider while choosing a solution?
Verify all the determinants that a client applies. Find out how important the price is. Concentrate on what is the most valuable for a client.
What really matters are your intentions, not sales techniques. Strong business relations are being built on base of trust and communication. Focus on executing your client’s wants’ concerning his needs, demands and limits. Make him aware that you share his goal.
Make sure that you ask all essential question and you have exhaustive answers for them.
Ensure that you both interpret needs and problems same way.
DON’T TRY TO GUESS!
You may also watch our SlideShare presentation below:
[slideshare id=50213525&doc=howtochangeleadsintobusinessrelations-step3-150706140122-lva1-app6892]
CEO at InStream. Sales Advisor.
