SOHO Start-Up -- How TITANS Structure The Successful Client Interview

How TITANS Structure The Successful Client Interview
by Ron Karr, Karr & Associates

You have to earn your prospect or customer's time, interest, and attention very early in the relationship. The first few moments with a new contact dictates whether or not you're perceived as a valuable resource. Titan salespeople strategize their questions. They don't make the mistake of asking the customer questions about what they are currently doing or using.

These are common enough "openings" but they're not the strategies you'll see Titans employ.

What kinds of questions do Titan salespeople ask before they ask anything else? What does a Titan interview look like - and how do you launch one?

Decision makers are skittish about passing out information at the outset of the relationship. Have you ever received a sales call inquiring "Are you in the stock market now and how much do you have invested?" Didn't you feel like answering, "Why don't you mind your own business?"

Selling particular features or asking people what are they currently doing flunk the Titan test. These approaches don't give you the other person's undivided attention or give valid information.

How should you begin the sales interview if you can’t immediately ask what the other person is using or doing? The Titan alternative is issues-based questions. These questions aim at finding out where the other person is trying to go. People love to talk about that!

Prospects are highly motivated to answer intelligent issues-based questions at the outset of a relationship. Why do issues-based questions start things off so well? Because we're all in a hurry to get to where we're not.

Your customers are being paid to find the solutions so their organizations can achieve their objectives. That's their role. Are you the solution the prospect is looking for? Are you worth their time? If so, how will you demonstrate that?

By using issues-based questions to show your interest in key goals and demonstrate that you're capable of "being there" for the customer.

Issues-based questions sound like the following examples:

What are the three biggest challenges your company is facing in reaching its objectives?

What do you want your customers to think of when they hear your company name?

Please describe the three top objectives you are responsible for.

Please describe the three outcomes you are most interested in seeing.

Wouldn't you rather hear those kinds of questions than the usual jumble of product descriptions and "tell-me-what-you're doing now" queries?

A major financial services organization trained its brokers to spend a great deal of time in the initial meeting trying to build up relationships with small talk. Prospects tend to view icebreakers warily. In today's market, people don't have time for relationships that won't help them get to where they are going.

What I taught their brokers to do was very different. After they introduced themselves, shook hands, and offered just a little background about their organization, they moved to an issues-based question that focused on the prospect's needs, fears or desires.

The way the prospects interacted with salespeople was dramatic. They went into a "thinking" posture - as opposed to the no-commitment posture that's so common early on in sales calls.

Asking an issues-based question brings the wall down. Prospects start talking about what they want to do! "Oh, I want to do so-and-so for our retirement." Suddenly, you have the prospect's time and attention.

The "issue" rooted in your question has to be one that matters to your contact. Asking, "Why are you working with x company now?" isn’t an issued-based question. The issue is: Where is he or she trying to go?

Issues-based questions are the very best qualifying questions. They uncover substantive issues faster than any other kind of question.

A simple issues-based question could sound like this: "Where are you trying to get to -- and what do you perceive as your three biggest challenges in getting to those goals?" By asking issues-based questions, you’ll find the responses tied in around these four elements: improved profits, improved productivity, reduced costs, and increased competitive edge.

Your aim is to get your prospect talking about objectives in at least one of these four areas - by asking more issues-based questions. Write down the answers you receive! Don't make an effort to steer your customer toward any of the four areas

There is a place for status-based questions like "What type of widget cleaning service are you using now?" That place comes after you've established yourself as a resource by using issues-based questions.

Asking additional questions ensures you get all of the necessary information. They are: illustrative, clarification, and consequence questions. These supporting questions offer a clearer vision of what your customer is facing and what is necessary to help him or her achieve key goals.

Illustrative questions help you see things from the prospect's perspective. If the prospect says, "It would have to work absolutely perfectly," that's a very broad statement! To gain a little deeper understanding, ask an illustrative question like, “We wrap this job up for you and it’s absolutely perfect, what does it look like?”

The clarification question asks for a workable, in-depth definition of a specific phrase that's important to him or her:

The consequence question highlights the consequence of your prospect's doing nothing and ignoring the resources you offer. Titan salespeople use questions to highlight the consequences the customer faces by not accepting their recommendations. Find out what will happen if the person doesn't take advantage of your solution.

Your “next question” should not be planned. It’s in direct response to the answer you just received. After every answer, ask yourself: "Do I have enough information to proceed. If not, what’s required?” Is it an issues-based question that highlights the other person’s fears, wants, and desires? An illustrative question that paints a complete picture? A clarification question that insures you’re on the same wavelength? Or a consequence question to help you establish the value for your solution?

This article is excerpted from Karr’s Titan Principle™- The Number One Secret to Sales Success. Ron Karr is a professional speaker, consultant, trainer and author who specializes in helping organizations to dominate their marketplace and assisting individuals to get closer to the people they serve. Ron’s Titan Principle™ has generated tremendous results for his clients in the areas of sales, negotiations and customer service. Call 800-423-5277, fax 201- 461-5621, or visit Ron’s website, www.ronkarr.com, for information on results-oriented services and learning tools (including his books, The Titan Principle™-The Number One Secret to Sales Success and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Great Customer Service).

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