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The Sales Cycle: Point #2. Asking Questions



In this article, we want to discuss what kind of questions to ask. There is a difference between asking a question and probing a question. Probing Questions is step number three in The Sales Cycle. What is the difference between asking a question and probing a question? When you ask a question, you are just gathering information about the potential new customer. For example, a salesperson might ask, “What kind of computer systems do you have in your offices?” The customer may reply “We have a fifty hp pavilion mx50 with scanners and printers.” When the salesperson is probing the question, he might ask a question like, “Do you feel that the fifty computers, scanners, and printers are adequate?” Another probing question might be ”Are you planning in your budget for your needs in future?” The process has been simplified for this article, but the point has been made about the differences between questioning and probing.

In this article, we want to take a look at two types of questions. The first questions are fact-finding questions, which should be simple, easy to answer, and able to relax the customer. At the same time, these questions provide you with valuable information to properly qualify your potential customer and to guide your presentation. The second type of questions are feel-finding questions, which enable you to learn about your customer’s needs, wants, desires, attitudes, and opinions, so you can uncover buying motives.

Before we go on with fact-finding and feel-finding questions, remember one of the key rules in sales: Let the customer communicate with you. People prefer talking to listening.

Fact-Finding Questions

1. Does your company have a budget for the new computer
systems?
2. Are you the decision-maker that makes the final decision?
3. Are you happy with the computer systems you are using today?

Feel-Finding Questions

1. Do you feel good about your computer and service company?
2. What do you think about your present computer systems?
3. Do you feel comfortable with your present computer systems?

Important warning: Don’t present your products, services, and benefits while fact-finding and probing. You must wait. The Presentation is step number four of The Sales Cycle. It is here that you show the customer all the benefits of doing business with you and your company.

Finally, the fact-finding and feel-finding questions help you develop your probing skills, where you are really finding out the needs, wants, and desires of the potential customer.
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Occupation: Sales Management
I was born in the Ghetto. Of course, it was not by choice. Let me tell you some of my story of how I went from the Ghetto to my MBA. I was born on the eastside of San Jose, California, USA. I hated people for most of my young life. I had a mother who was never home. My father left my mother when I was 6 months old, and I had no contact with him. Because of my sad circumstances, I joined a gang called the Blue Jackets. Later on, I became the president of the gang, staying in it until I was eighteen years old. I was involved in five gang wars by the time I was fourteen years old. In one of the gang fights, I lost my best friend, Hector Lopez. I will never forget his name because he took a knife that was supposed to go into my body. In another fight, I was hit on the head with a bottle that knocked me out cold. There was a lot of pain for me in those days. I was taken to Juvenile Hall for the first time at nine years of age, and I was in and out at least twenty times before I hit eighteen. At that time in my life, I started to realize that there was something wrong with my life. During this time, I met a girl by the name of Beverly, who was from the other side of the tracks. She helped me to realize that I needed a change in my life, so I decided to go into the U.S. Army. My enlistment really helped me grow up and see things in a different light. During this time, Beverly and I got married and we had a son and daughter. To this day, we have been happily married. When I was in the Army, I did get my GED. I have always been a hard and ambitious worker, so when I left the Army, I immediately got my first job delivering milk to homes. Yes, I was a milkman! As a milkman, I had the time to go back to school and then college. I worked my way up the ladder with a few companies, going from a sales person to the GM/CEO of First Choice Services, a consumer products company. In May 27 of 1996, I got my BBA and in May of 2000, I received my MBA. As a business consultant, I have had the privilege of working with some companies internationally, as I really enjoy working with people from other cultures. I have learned so much from friends that we have in Japan, Australia, the U.K., The Philippines, Korea, and Costa Rica, just to mention a few. Presently, I am a Business Consultant for One Cup International Consulting Group. My background in sales, sales management, and operations provide strong organizational credentials. I have over 20 years experience as an employee and consultant with such companies as: Langendorf Bread, Coffee Systems, Inc., Bobart Consulting, Inc., San Jose Chamber of Commerce, Turning Point Programs, Majordomo Services, Inc., First Choice Services (a division of Daiohs, Inc.), Associated Services, F. Gavina and Sons, Inc., Take a Break Service, Lindsey Coffee Company, and at the present time, One Cup International Consulting Group. My goal as a business consultant has always been to help companies build their sales, management, and marketing teams and/or reorganize their business, so they can make a profit or improve their bottom line. As a team player, I work with management and operations to get the best results. Finally, let me say that I am looking for a new career that will both reward me inwardly in my personal growth, and financially. I am a very active person. As a business consultant, I find that I have too much time on my hands. I want to be more actively involved, helping grow a sales staff or a business, by using my many skills. As you can see from my opening statements, I have endured much in my life, but out of lemons, I’ve decided to make lemonade. I am available for sales and management seminars. Also, I would be glad to do seminars for any organization, to reach young people, in order to help them get out of the ghetto and poverty. I require a small honorarium, plus traveling expenses.
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