Sell by Asking
When it comes to selling, your customers quite literally have all the answers.
Many businesses look to their marketing to bring in more leads. What can often be overlooked is the effectiveness of converting those leads into paying customers. So how do we increase our conversion rates? Have you ever answered a question with a question? Would that make a difference to your conversion rate? The answer is “Yes!” Asking not only increases your conversion rate, but if done right, it ensures that the sale becomes their idea and not yours. Asking questions also means active listening. You can ask questions about your customer’s business, family, hobbies or goals just make sure that you are listening with sincere interest. By asking questions and listening, you are letting them know that they are important and what they have to say is worth hearing.
Also, by asking questions you are remaining in control of the conversation. As soon as you start doing all the talking you are no longer in control. Remember that the person asking the questions sets the direction for the conversation. If the customer is dominating the conversation by asking you questions to try to shift the conversation by answering their question with a question. When using questions you are encouraging the customer to communicate, establishing their needs, directing the conversation, diffusing tension and inviting discussion.
In journalism there are six key questions used in the interviewing process which are equally useful in sales – who, what, where, when, why and how. Be sure to use them all. Learning the art of questioning and listening is the key to increasing your conversion rate and well on the way to creating a continuing customer relationship.
If you would like to learn more about how this might apply to your business, let’s talk:
