Here’s a useful technique that you can use at the start of your sales conversation to create the setting that you need to earn the sale at the end of your presentation. This approach starts with an attention-grabbing question aimed at the main benefit that the customer would enjoy when he owns your product, and qualifies the prospect at the same time.
For instance, let’s say you offer high-quality mutual funds. Here, you’d open with the question, “Chris, if I could show you one of the lowest-cost, best-performing investments available that could make you a millionaire when you retire, are you in a position to invest $500 a month starting today?”
Now, the beautiful thing about this approach is that it changes the whole nature of the conversation. You see, you’re no longer implying, “Will you listen to me?” Instead, you’re asking, “How much can you invest if I fulfill the promise stated in my opening question?”
The prospect might say, “Sure, if the investment really is as good as you say it is, then I could invest $500 a month.” Then, you could qualify the prospect even further by asking, “If you really liked it and wanted to become even wealthier, could you invest $600 a month?”
Here, the prospect can say yes or no. But either way, you’re qualifying him more precisely and assessing exactly what his financial situation is, even before you begin talking about your product or service.
But, suppose the prospect says, “I can’t invest $500 a month.” In this case, you can still ask, “Well, then could you invest $400 a month if it was one of the best investments available?”
The prospect might say, “Okay, if it’s really that good, then I think I can invest $400 a month.” Now, by answering your question, he’s giving you permission to give your presentation and to establish that you do have the best investment, or the best of whatever you offered him in your opening question.
Then, at the end of your presentation, he can’t say that he doesn’t have the money right now. After all, he’s already agreed that if your product or service is a great fit for him, he’s in a position to purchase it today.
Now, using your creativity, you can adapt this technique to practically any product or service. For instance, if you provide sales training to companies, you could ask, “Mr. Powell, if I could show you a proven system that will increase your sales by 20 to 30 percent in the next six months to a year, are you in a position to make a decision regarding it today?”
If he says, “Well, sure, if you could show me a way to increase my sales by 20 to 30 percent, I could make a decision today,” then all you need to do is simply show the prospect that your product or service will definitely deliver on the promise that you made in your opening statement.
Again, the beautiful thing about this approach is that instead of saying that he either needs to think about it, talk to someone else, check his finances, or give some other excuse, he has committed to giving you an answer immediately, one way or the other.
