Chapter 30 using questions to close the sale question how do you persuade people to take action answer you persuade by asking questions that lead the prospect to a conclusion which demands that they take action because it becomes an idea which they the prospect originated this is pressure which the prospect puts on themselves it's internal pressure and it's powerful to paraphrase Socrates who may have said it best if you make a statement to which your prospect will readily agree cannot refute then ask a series of questions based on that agreement and then ask a concluding question based on those agreements you will force the desired response this is precisely the method used by successful trial attorneys to transfer their feelings to juries selling isn't telling it's asking the ability to ask questions much like the ability to modulate and use your voice properly is a skill which is badly neglected and underdeveloped in the world of selling it's a skill which we as people have unlearn it I say this because the average 6-year-old child under normal circumstances will ask something like 4 to 700 questions a day while the average college graduate will ask approximately 30 if you know anything at all about life or if you've been around children at all you surely know the six-year-old child is getting more than the college graduate asking questions is an important skill that can be learned I'm going to give you a number of questions and some of the circumstances under which they can be used again I urge you to adapt these to your situation because all of them will not completely fit you nevertheless in many cases the idea would be appropriate some questions tie in with the assumptive attitude others have to do with imagination and impending events and any number of other techniques example in the showing of a home you could after getting acquainted with the family simply ask as sales trainer Tom Hopkins suggests you do when you enter the living living room where would you place the sofa in this room in another room where would you put Johnny's bed would you prefer it against the wall or more in the center of the room I remind you there is no way the prospect can get irritated with you at an answer they give you another question if this beautiful home had only this gorgeous view or if the tour of the home ended with this magnificent living den and kitchen it's already exciting to see isn't it or if this house had nothing but this location it would Merit consideration wouldn't it to set up a closing situation for later in the interview sometimes you can use this as a lead in Mr Prospect many years ago Andrew Carnegie the man who was responsible for developing 43 millionaires when millionaires were truly rare said show me a man who can make a decision act on that decision and stay with that decision and I'll show you a man who will succeed successful businessmen are almost unanimous in their agreement on this principle but what's your personal feeling about this most will agree you will use this one when you are talking with a business person about an investment in equipment machinery or efficiency systems it would not work if you were selling a young couple some furniture they weren't sure they could afford Kevin's exponential Insight number 16 ready willing and able have you ever seen someone inside one of those money wi machines where cash is flying everywhere and the person only has so much time to grab all they can get well you know what usually happens they go crazy clutching at everything and usually end up with next to nothing prospecting can often feel that same way you can be really busy chasing down leads and setting up meetings or retargeting ads only to end up with few real sales to show why because you're chasing the wrong people the truth is it takes intentional planning to focus on your target audience the customers or audience you really want as opposed to Warm Bodies who give you hope in the short term but don't result in sales your idea product or service whatever you sell isn't for everyone in fact it may not even be for most people and that's okay the sooner you realize this truth the more efficient your prospects can be you may have heard the expression that someone is ready willing and able well those are also three qualifying questions to ask about prospects at a minimum for them to be in your target audience first are they ready they must be ready to buy that means they have a need and your idea product or service meets that need second are they willing that means they have a desire to buy what you sell third are they able that means at least two things they have the financial means to purchase it doesn't matter how much someone needs or wants your product if they don't have the money they're not a good Prospect and your prospects must have a need you can meet have a desire for what you're selling and the ability and authority to make a decision otherwise you've got suspects not prospects and suspects suck your time away a prospect is an individual or a group capable of making the decision on the product or service the salesperson is selling a suspect is a name that could be a prospect a prospect has a need for the product a possible desire to own that product and the financial capacity to implement that decision ready willing and able you spend time with suspects you invest time with prospects 16 question closes almost identical to a real estate situation if you're demonstrating a computer or a piece of equipment you can ask if this were the only feature this machine had it would be well worth owning wouldn't it question when we install this equipment would you like for me to demonstrate the major features again question would you prefer we deliver today or would next week fit your schedule better question would you like for me to mark this one sold while we check on the most agreeable term ter to finance it for you question do you need to consult with anyone else before you place the order question is the purchase order issued from this department question would you like to have your bank finance this or would you like for us to work out the financial Arrangements question since the item is in short supply would you be willing to wait 3 weeks for delivery question would you want to make a large deposit so the monthly deposits are smaller or would you prefer a minimum deposit and slightly larger monthly deposits question would you prefer this in green or does the red appeal to you more question shall we ship it by UPS or FedEx question do you want the lot registered in your name or your wife's name question do you prefer the lot on the golf course or does the one on the lake appeal to you most question if you saw that it was to your advantage to own this product and the terms we work out are satisfactory would you have any objections to going ahead today question can you see the financial advantage to reducing the use of those powerful overhead lights which provide unneeded light in some areas in favor of using point of impact lighting During certain times of the day question do you believe it's wise to invest in solidly constructed equipment which will give you long trouble-free operation for the lifetime of the product questions for decisions many questions really are thinking questions and actually lead the prospect to the decision Mark Gardner whom we mentioned mentioned earlier like all professionals asks a lot of fact finding and closing questions here are a few which are self-explanatory question are you investing in the stock market at the present time question are you seeking capital gains or income question could you give me a measure of the degree of risk you wish to take are you aggressive or conservative question what is your portfolio consist of one biggest winner two largest position question please if you will give me an example of your last transaction and one question usually we are looking for commitments anywhere from dollars to Dollars how much Capital do you normally commit Mr Prospect I would like to make an agreement with you as one businessman to another first I'm not going to waste your time second when we come back to you it will be with a major strategic suggestion for these reasons we want you to give it serious consideration for a major your commitment now Mr Prospect given all these parameters of the investment would you be in a position to make a prompt decision this series leads directly to a close of the stocks you own do you have any that have not lived up to your expectations how long have you held the stock I know I am asking you to make a very difficult decision why have you not sold this when it hasn't performed why because there is a loss involved a common Mistake by most investors is that that you hope the stock will somehow come back wouldn't you agree with this in the real world not every situation we invest in works out isn't it best that we recognize it hasn't worked out for whatever reasons and make the decision to rectify the situation by moving out of and positioning into these questions close sales the late Charles Roth describing how a leasing agent for Swanky offices in New York City handled the question assumption approach gave this example the sales person would take the prospect to a beautiful view of the Hudson River and ask you love this view don't you the prospect would invariably answer yes it's beautiful then the salesperson would lead them to a suite on the other side of the building and ask the question do you like this view as well as the other the prospect either did or didn't assuming they didn't the salesperson would say then the other Suite is the one you want isn't it and the sale was often closed the choice close when I was in the table appointments business selling single girls China flat wear and Crystal one of our most difficult and important tasks was to lead the girl in the selection of the right pattern and yet make certain it was her choice we started with China and since we had seven patterns we handled it this way the first pattern we offered was one we knew she would like a safe pattern whether she necessarily loved it or not was another matter after we displayed and romance it we reached for the second pattern and demonstrated it after showing the second one we asked the girl Mary if these were the only two China patterns in the whole world and you had to make your choice right now as to which one you were going to choose which one of these two would you choose after she made her choice we put the other pattern away we followed this procedure through to the last pattern and in most cases the final Choice was relatively easy as she chose that final pattern we gave her one more Choice as the close Mary would you want this in the five-piece or the seven-piece play settings when we got the answer we proceeded to fill out the order years ago when my friend Mike Ingram was president of toughs and son out of Oklahoma City I laughingly referred to him as America's number one rat bait salesman because he was Mike and his company used a number of ideas to promote rat bait sales but one of the things they promoted with their dealers was a 22 rifle Mike had trained his people to close the sale after explaining the promotion with this question did you want the six case promotion or would you prefer the one with nine cases and get this beautiful 22 rifle as the promotional gift by using this promotional procedure tus and Sun broke every sales record in history selling that's right rap vit question did you want this single light globe or would you like three for the 15% discount in many cases you can move the customer to a larger order by simply asking that or a similar question the entire questioning process is an involvement procedure and as Harry over street so eloquently expressed it the very essence of all power to influence lies in getting the other person to participate get M involved your chances of the sale dramatically improve question if I show you something that could save you or your firm a great deal of money are you in a position to act on it now incidentally one question you don't ask a prospect is what do you think about this as I said earlier the thinking brain is only 10% as large as the feeling brain and people generally do not buy logically they buy emotionally they buy what they want and not necessarily what they need ask how do you feel about this and you've got an infinitely better chance to make the sale the tie down close Revisited the late Doug Edwards perfected and taught the following technique which he called the tie down he used it with great effectiveness frequently a customer will ask a question such as does this come in green if you say yes you still are no closer to the sale if they ask does this come in green you ask them a question do you want it if it comes in green when they respond to that question they're bot you nail it down with we can have it for you in 3 weeks or would you prefer that I put a rush on it so you can have it in Just 2 weeks if they ask you do the draperies come with the house you ask do you want it if the draperies come with the house or will you take it if I can make arrangements for the draperies to come with the house you're tying them down with that question Doug would automatically or instinctively end his questions or statements with a tie down such as this is beautiful in red isn't it the added weight gives much greater Comfort doesn't it the extra horsepower is a real bonus isn't it this extra economy will steamroll the competition won't it the additional color gives it an added Dimension doesn't it this evening View should give you a lot of beautiful memories shouldn't it each tie down is emotionally committing the prospect to taking action on your offer and when you wrap your offer in an obligating question the sale is more probable than possible your next reading of Secrets will make you even more aware of the tie downs I've used throughout the book won't it of special importance in the tie down procedure is the fact that you should use contractions to emphasize certain points sales trainer Phil Lynch said you should avoid the use of not at all costs use isn't shouldn't wouldn't can't couldn't doesn't won't Etc now you go to work and start developing specific questions for your product and customers remember the professional salesperson works at learning how to be more professional it is not easy but the emotional satisfaction and financial rewards are enormous the permanent customer close if you sell in a furniture store a clothing store or any kind of retail outlet where customers come in and say I'd like to see a suit you smile and say with pleasure men's suits are over here start in that direction take about a half dozen steps turn and say it will be helpful if I know whether the suit is for a special occasion or would you like for it to blend with the rest of your wardrobe so that you can get maximum mileage out of your clothing dollars this approach not only helps you make the immediate sale but it also plants the suggestion that you are capable of and interested in helping them solve any future wardrobe problems you displaying a strong professional approach and a sincere interest in being a problem solver your initial question is the opening to the permanent customer close an almost identical approach is effective in most retail outlets furniture stores specialty shops General merchandisers Etc in a furniture store the prospect might come in and express an interest in a lamp rug or sofa you smile and say I'll be pleased to help you they're right over here you start in that direction as you say by the way did you want this as an individual item or did you want it to blend with the rest of your Decor so you get maximum mileage from your furniture dollars this procedure leads your prospect to make a decision of more significance than just the momentary one of buying the particular item they asked about I deal with and use questions in every segment of Secrets of closing the sale there is no doubt in my mind that your career as a salesperson will move forward faster as a direct result of learning how to ask questions and how to use the proper voice inflection then from any other skills you might develop most salespeople know the importance of asking questions but too many of them make a couple of serious mistakes in the questioning process first of all they take the police investigator approach and are a little too aggressive and assertive the salesperson's attitude is critical they must remember the service attitude is the one to take they should never ask the first question without getting permission you get permission this way Mr Prospect in order for me to determine how we might be able to help you I need to ask you a few questions do you mind if I ask them now this procedure not only gets the positive response but it also tells the prospect why you are going to ask the questions this clears the way for asking the questions and subconsciously obligates the prospect to answer them okay