Category: Prospecting & Qualifying

Have you ever been at a complete loss of words after a client or prospect has said something so outrageous that at first you find it hard to believe they may have said it? Or have you ever gotten a question or a statement during your close that you just haven’t known how to answer? Or, have you ever reached the end of your presentation and asked for the order and your prospect said something that gave you no idea of what to do or say next?

If you’re in sales, then I know this has happened to you before. When it does, 90% of sales reps have no idea how to respond and they either freeze up or worse – they just keep pitching or talking over their prospect. Obviously both approaches are wrong, so what DO you do?

Years ago I learned a technique so simple, so powerful that the first time I tried it I couldn’t believe how effective it was. In fact, at first it was so simple that I found it hard to use! The magic of the technique isn’t just in the small word, but in what you do immediately afterwards. And here it is:

Whenever a prospect or client says something to you that you either don’t know how to respond to, or – and this is really important – if they give you an answer and you don’t have enough information from them to know which direction to go in or what to say next, then simply say:

“Oh?” And then immediately hit MUTE and listen…

OK, I know what you’re thinking – “Oh, Mike, that’s cheesy, it’s not going to work and they’ll probably say something like, ‘What did you say?’”

Do me a favor and put your skepticism on hold for a moment and try it. In fact, you don’t even have to take my word for it – try it for yourself and see how powerful this technique is.

What you’ll find is that as soon as you ask them, “Oh?” – and by the way, you have to use this with a questioning tone and really mean it like you’re confused and want and need to know more – and hit MUTE, it will be during that silence when your prospect or client will give you what I call, “The Gold.” In other words, they will almost always elaborate on what they really mean and it is this response that will finally tell you what direction you need to go to close the sale.

There was an old saying years ago in sales (by the way, I never fully endorsed it, but it sure was true) that the first one who talks loses. I agree that saying IS a little cheesy, but it does have some truth in it. You see, if you don’t know what the real objection is or how to answer an objection or stall, then if you talk over it, you WILL lose.

The magic of this technique is that your prospect or client will almost always give up the Gold. No matter what they say, the more they talk, the more you’ll learn. And the more you know, the more you’ll know how to proceed.

Again, don’t take my word for this. Instead, give yourself the week to try this technique and make sure and hit your MUTE button after you do. I guarantee you will benefit from it and one of the best parts is that it will teach you and your sales team how to start listening.

And listening is still the greatest skill any sales professional can possess.

If you set appointments by phone, then you know how hard it can be. Getting past gatekeepers, identifying decision makers, overcoming brush offs, overcoming objections, it can get pretty discouraging, can’t it? What if I told you that the hardest thing about setting appointments is often something that you yourself create? That would be even more discouraging, wouldn’t it? Unless I also gave you the solution which is what I’m going to do…

So let’s start at the beginning. Quick question: What is the goal of an appointment call? No, this isn’t a trick question, although you’d be amazed at the answers I get. People say things like: “To make a sale,” or “To overcome objections,” or “To qualify for the order,” and things like that. I’m sure you can add to that list. Perhaps the reason the right answer is so often missed is because it seems so pedestrian. The right answer, of course, is “To make an appointment!”

The reason sales reps struggle so much to achieve this simple aim is because they try to do too much. And the biggest area they do this in is when it comes to handling objections. You know the kind: “I/we don’t have any money,” or “I/we’ve already got everything taken care of,” or “Just put it in the mail,” etc.

Ok, now here’s the key:

There is a HUGE difference between an objection and an initial resistance statement, and you handle them both VERY differently.

This is a BIG deal when it comes to making appointments and here’s why: All the so-called objections you get are in fact just initial resistance. It’s the same as when you go to a store (especially when you know what you’re going to buy) and a sales rep greets you with, “Can I help you?” What do you usually say? How about, “Oh, just looking.” You aren’t just looking, you’re there to buy, but your initial reaction to a sales rep is to put them off.

This is the same when you’re setting an appointment. All the statements above are just initial resistance. They aren’t objections because you haven’t pitched anyone yet. In other words, there isn’t anything to object TO. And because of this, you’re making a big mistake if you try to overcome initial resistance statements like you handle objections. Because as soon as you do this, you’ll lose because your prospect can just dismiss you and hang up.

So here’s what you SHOULD do when you get initial resistance when you make an appointment call: You should simply acknowledge you heard it, give a quick sentence or two to help you get around it, and then move back into asking for the appointment again. Here’s how it goes:

The Wrong Way to handle initial resistance:

Prospect: “We don’t have the money right now”

Sales Rep: “No problem. We have a variety of payment plans that can fit into any budget. In fact you can get started today for as little as $150 down, and we’ll bill you monthly for as little as $35 for the next 10 years. You can afford that, can’t you?”

The Right Way to handle initial resistance:

Prospect: “We don’t have the money right now”

Sales Rep: “That’s perfectly fine and this isn’t about money. Instead, it’s about making a connection and introducing you to our firm and providing you with some options for the future for when you are in the market for this. Now, to make sure I bring you out the right brochure, let me just ask you a couple of quick questions…”

You see the difference? When you get initial resistance, don’t try to overcome it like you would an objection, instead, you should disarm your prospect, move past it, qualify and then ask for the appointment again.

If you can learn this key difference, you’ll stop fighting with prospects, and you’ll begin setting more appointments. And isn’t that the real objective of an appointment call?

New marketing funnels and lead nurturing campaigns have created what has always been a salesperson’s dream: more inbound leads. Sales reps love receiving these leads and tell me all the time that these “warm” leads must be better because they called in requesting information.

“These leads are more qualified because they are calling in,” I hear over and over. But we all know this isn’t necessarily true is it? In fact this attitude leads to one of the biggest mistake 80% of your competition is making when they receive warm leads — they go into pitch mode rather than qualification mode.

Eighty percent of your competition mistake the “implied interest” of an inbound lead to mean they are already qualified, and all they need to do is explain their product or service. Wrong!

Top reps, on the other hand, know that inbound leads can be some of the biggest time wasters of all, so they do what they always do — disqualify out people who are “just looking” so that they can identify and spend time with the real buyers.

And they do this by asking questions instead of pitching.

Here are some great questions to ask the next time you get an inbound lead:

How to ask for the buying motive:
“Thank you for contacting us today, what was it about our ad/promotion/website that motivated you to call us today?”

How to determine a shopper:
“Who else are you looking into?”

How to determine how close or far away you are from a potential deal:
“What do you like best so far?”

How to determine further motivation:
“How long have you been thinking about (buying, investing, changing) something like this?” Then,

How to determine the possible objections:
“What has kept you from acting on this?

How to determine time frame:
“When are you looking to make a decision on this?”
You see how this goes. Just remember, to be a Top 20% producer, you have to begin finding buyers — whatever the lead source. So stop pitching your inbound leads and start qualifying! Remember, it’s still up to you to find and separate the buyers from the non-buyers.

Would you like a way to become instantly better at closing more sales over the phone? If so, then simply incorporate these “must know” questions into your first qualifying call and you will immediately have better results when you call back to close.

How can I be so certain knowing the answers to these 5 questions will make you a better closer? It’s because of the indisputable rule in sales: “You can’t close an unqualified lead.” And that’s exactly what 80% of your competition is doing.

I listen to hundreds of actual calls from my clients each month, and I hear it over and over again – sales reps struggling to present their products and services to prospects who are not qualified in fundamental ways. Here’s are the questions you can ask to avoid this and to qualify your prospects better:

1) “What role do you play in the decision process?” You’d be amazed by how many sales reps simply never ask this question and, instead, assume they are dealing with a decision maker. In fact, have you ever gotten to the end of your close and been told, “Well, I have to send this to corporate and see what they think…”

That’s because you never asked question #1.

2) “How does this decision process work? Walk me through it.” If you have a pipeline full of prospects who didn’t buy after your demo or presentation, then you probably didn’t ask this question either. And I’ll bet your closing rate is less than 2 out of 10…..

3) “How many times in the last couple of months did you present something like this to (the board, corporate, the owner) and what happened?” If you want to know what the likelihood of getting your product or service through the decision process they described to you and what the likelihood of them actually closing is, just ask this question. The answer they give you will be the same as the one you’re going to get back next week…

4) ” __________ based on what you’ve heard so far, how much of a fit do you think this is for what you’re looking to accomplish?” What, a trial close on the first call?! Absolutely! If you’re dealing with a real buyer for your product or service, there is no better question than that one to uncover what any potential objections might be waiting for you when you call back to close. AND, there is no better question to reveal how close you may be to getting the deal when you call back…

5) ” ___________, is there anything you can think of that might stand in the way of us doing business in the next few weeks if you like what you see?” This question is for Top 20% closers only and it’s the question that will move you into the Top 1%. Try it and start re-qualifying or start writing up your order for the next call…

We’ve all got a pipeline full of them: prospects who sounded good in the beginning, but now there’s no news from them. Are they still interested? Have they found another solution? Was it something we said or is the price too high or have they changed their mind? Who knows – they simply aren’t responsive. So what should you do?

The first thing you should do is relax. Take a deep breath. Just because they haven’t gotten back to you doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t still interested, nor does it mean they aren’t going to still be a deal. Some won’t, but some still will. It’s frustrating, I know, but there are a couple of things to understand and to do so let’s take it from the top:

#1: The first thing you need to remember is that prospects buy according to their schedule – not yours. As a sales rep, I know you want, no, you need the deal today. We all do. But your prospect usually isn’t under the same urgency as you are to get the deal done. There are many other initiatives, activities, people, processes, etc, they are dealing with and your product or service is just one of many things they have on their plate. So again, don’t take it personally, just relax and plan your next move.

#2: Your next move should be the one you both agreed on during your last conversation. You did make a firm appointment for your next conversation, didn’t you? This is rule of engagement number one, so if you’re not in the habit of doing that, please begin today. If you did make a firm appointment and they missed it, then send a gentle email acknowledging that they must be as busy as you are and you understand. Do not be accusatory, don’t assign blame and don’t under any circumstance sound hurt or make them feel guilty. Instead, be professional and use something like the following:

Subject Line: Our meeting

John,

So sorry we missed each other today – I know how time can get by us. When you have a moment, please shoot me an email back suggesting some better times later this week or next that would be better for us to connect.

You can either respond to this email or leave me a quick message here (your number).

Looking forward to hearing back,

Mike Brooks

#3: Talk to secretaries, assistants or others in their department. If possible, always form a relationship with anyone else answering the phone or working in the same department as your prospect. When you next attempt to reach them, ask that other person what your prospect’s schedule is like and what’s going on with the department or company. Using this method, I’ve found out that some of my prospects were travelling for two weeks, or they were at company conferences, or on vacation, etc. Once I learn this, I reference this in my next email attempts to reach them.

The best rule of thumb is to acknowledge what your prospect is going through and to never pressure them. Always let them set the best time/days to reconnect. If you are persistent and respectful in this way, real prospects will always get back with you and let you know.

#4: If you have been patient in the ways described above and a month or so has gone by and you’ve still not heard from your prospect, then it is time to use the “Should I Stay or Should I Go” email I’ve written about before. Remember, the power of this email is that you are giving your prospect a way out with option number two and this will almost always get them to respond to you. It may not be the response you want, but believe me, if your prospect has found another solution or won’t be a deal, it’s always better to know it and move on. Here’s the email for you in case you missed it:

Subject line is: “Should I stay or should I go?”
“_________ I haven’t heard back from you and that tells me one of three things:

1) You’ve already chosen another company for this and if that’s the case please let me know so can I stop bothering you,

2) You’re still interested but haven’t had the time to get back to me yet.

3) You’ve fallen and can’t get up and in that case please let me know and I’ll call 911 for you…

Please let me know which one it is because I’m starting to worry… Thanks in advance, and I look forward to hearing back from you.”

Following these four steps should restore you to sanity in regards to your sales cycle. Remember, closing a sale is a process and you must let it unfold in the way that best suits the buying habits of your prospect or client. Don’t be desperate, don’t pressure, and don’t let your prospect see you sweat. Instead, use the four steps above to deal with the process professionally and confidently. That attitude will come across to your buyer and they will respond accordingly.

OK, now I want you to pay very careful attention….

I’m going to give you, right now, the Real Secret to what it takes to really qualify a lead. Before I do, though, let me back up just a minute.

Here’s how all this came about. Right now I’m involved with a company whereby I’m listening to and critiquing cold calls. These are qualifying calls. We’ve written the scripts for these reps, put in all the qualifying questions, and now I’m listening and seeing how good a job they are doing. Here’s what I’m finding (and by the way, this is the same thing that I find with ALL of my other clients as well – i.e., that means I’d find it with you, too!).

#1: The first thing these reps are doing is defaulting back to how they’ve been doing it for the last several months (or years). In other words, they haven’t yet begun using the new scripts and new proven techniques word for word yet. And that’s OK. It’s a process.

The good news is that once they do, they will immediately begin qualifying better, understanding true buying motives, and they’ll begin understanding who isn’t likely to be a buyer. That will save them A LOT of time.

#2: But here’s the real secret: After they begin getting comfortable with the scripts and begin asking the key qualifying questions, what will come next are the REAL SECRETS to qualifying the leads. And here’s what it is:

While I’m listening to these calls, what I’m dying for the reps to ask are the things that I would be asking that would tell me if I’m dealing with a prospect who might actually buy in the future, or if I’m dealing with someone who is likely not to buy on the follow up calls. And here are the things they (and YOU) should be asking of all of your prospects (Not in any particular order):

“How often do you check (prices, rates, suppliers, services, etc.) with other companies like mine?”

“Have you found that you can get better (service, pricing, rates, etc.) from another company?”

If so: “Did you go with that other company (or – “Did you give them a try?”)?”

And if not: “Oh, why was that?”

“What would you need to see from our (company, information, service, etc.) that would motivate you to actually try someone different?”

“What part of the decision process are you involved in?”

“What happens next after I give you a (competitive quote, price, service analysis, etc.)?”
“If you like what you see, what would be our next step?”

And then my favorite – a trail close! You absolutely MUST say this at the end of ALL Qualified calls!

“_________, let me ask you, if you like what (we can offer you, pricing, service, availability, whatever is appropriate for your product or service), can you see anything that might stand in the way of us doing business together?” (Note: You can use many different trial closes here – just pick one that matches your product or service the best).

These are the Real Secrets to qualifying a lead. Yes you need to ask the other important qualifying questions that I list in my blog, books and CDs but after you do, you need to find out if you’re really dealing with a buyer, and asking these types of Real Questions is the way to do just that.

Compare these questions (and the kinds of answers you’ll get from them) with the kinds of questions you or your team is currently asking. If you’re far off from them (in other words, you don’t ask them at all), then you need to incorporate them TODAY. Not tomorrow or next week, but TODAY.

I guarantee that when you do, and when you begin getting the Real Answers to these Real Qualifying Questions, and your sales career will begin to dramatically change (and so will your company). This is how you move from the bottom 80% into the Top 20%.

But like everything I give you, don’t take my word for it. Try it and see for yourself. If it works, all you have to gain is hundreds to thousands of extra dollars a month. How good will that feel?

If you have to set appointments over the phone then you know that delicate balance between building rapport, creating interest, qualifying and asking for and getting an appointment. It can be difficult knowing exactly when and how to ask for the appointment without sounding like you are closing them, and, of course, there is always the awkwardness of handling the no’s if you’re turned down.

 The good news is that if you follow these 3 proven secrets of top producers, then you’ll not only begin setting more appointments, but you’ll set more qualified ones as well.  Here they are: 

Secret #1: Always use a script.  I know, this may sound basic enough, but you’ll be amazed by how many professional sales people still insist on winging it through their initial call.  Your script must help you deal with things like: 

• How to deal with and get past the Gatekeeper
• How to handle your prospect’s initial objections
• How to establish quick, relevant rapport
• How to qualify to see if your prospect is even the right candidate 

This article is too short to script all these things out for you but don’t worry I’m not going to leave you in the dark.  I’ve covered all these topics before in previous articles, and I’ve even written word for word scripts for you to use.  You can find them all on my website by searching the Inside Sales Training Blog. 

Bottom line: Prepare and use an effective script! 

Secret #2: Know when to ask for the appointment.  Many sales reps just don’t know when the best time to ask for the appointment is.  Because of this they either ask too soon and then begin fielding objections, or they pitch for too long and the prospect has then heard enough to say no.  Either way, obviously, you lose. 

Here’s the rule: After you’ve made a connection with your prospect (built rapport), gained the right to ask a few questions to see if there might be a fit between what their needs are and what you’re offering (how you can help), and after you verify a few crucial qualifiers – like if they are the decision makers, what their interest level and time frame is, and what their budget is – then it’s time to suggest a possible meeting to explore if your solution might benefit them. 

The key here is to ask enough questions to identify what their buying motives are (their needs) and then to give them just enough information to suggest a fit.  Then it’s time to suggest an appointment.  

Secret #3: Know how to ask for the appointment.

Please, whatever you do don’t use the age old sales technique of the “either or” close.  You know, the “Well I can either stop by tomorrow at noon or would the next day at 4pm be better for you?”  As soon as you utter those words, your credibility goes down.  Everybody recognizes that as a sales pressure line and they react accordingly. 

Here’s the better way to do it: 

“_________, from what I’m hearing from you it sounds like it makes sense for us to explore this a little further.  Here’s what I’d be willing to do: Let’s make an appointment to briefly get together so we can get to know one another and I can learn a little more about your situation.  If we find that there is a fit, and you think I can help you, then I’ll give you some information that you can go over, and then I’ll put together some options for you.

And if we don’t see a fit at this time, at least you’ll have another resource you can use at a later date – is that fair?” 

And then you set the appointment.  The strength of this close is that it’s a none-pressure situation that gives your prospect a way out if they’re not interested.  Plus, it lets them know you’re not coming over to try to close them.  This script lets them know this visit is all about them, which is what it should be.  

I guarantee that if you begin using the three secrets above for setting appointments, your appointment rate will not only go up, but you and your prospect will feel better during the whole process.  And how great will that be? 

I urge you to take some time to search my blog for great openings and qualifying questions, and to then incorporate the script above into a comprehensive opening script for yourself.  You will be so much more successful if you do.  And don’t forget that if you need other scripts, you will benefit greatly from my new book of over 220 other proven scripts by getting a copy of “The Ultimate Book of Phone Scripts.” You can find a copy on my website or on Amazon. 

I hope this helps and, if it does, please pass this article on to others can benefit from it!

I get emails all the time and it’s great because I get real insight into what reps face day in and day out – and how they are dealing with it.  The email below is a perfect example of this.  I’m sure this rep isn’t alone in facing this kind of selling situation.  Read his email below and ask yourself how you handle it when a prospect asks you for your price:

Hello Mike,

I’ve listened to your CD set many times. You opened my eyes to disqualifying prospects. You’re right, “You can’t close unqualified leads.”

I sell life insurance and on occasion I will have someone ask me, “How much would an insurance policy cost me say for $25,000?” If I just tell them how much it costs then I usually lose the sale and it ends there.

After listening to your CD’s I think I shouldn’t be giving out the price. What would you say if someone asked you this question?

Thank you Mike

Rino R.

Canada

Rino, that’s a great question, and you’re right – you shouldn’t just give a price.  If you do, you’re giving away all control and leverage of the sale.  Here’s what you should do instead.  Just say,

“It depends.”

After that, it’s your turn to qualify and then decide, based on their answers, whether to give out a price or not.  You may want to follow that up with questions like:

“When are you looking to put a policy like this into effect?”

“Would you want to combine this with another policy?”

“How about your wife?  Does she have a policy?”

“What have you been quoted on this kind of a policy in the past?”

“Why didn’t you go with it?”

“What are you waiting for?”

“What is your price range on this?”

“What is your budget?”

“If I could get you a price that would fit your budget today, is this something you’d seriously like me to pursue for you?”

You get the idea.  Before you give your price, you must qualify for interest.

Now, if your prospect is just shopping and you get the feeling he/she isn’t serious about it now, then after you ask these questions and determine they aren’t ready, then instead of giving a price you should say:

“Well, as I said, it really depends on when you’re ready to buy the policy.  I’d give you a range of anywhere from $75 – $100 per month.  Tell you what, when you’re ready to look at some definite numbers, could I be the first person you call?”

And then get their contact info, any other buying information, and move on…

That’s the way to handle any inquiry into the price of your product or service.

Thanks, Rino, for your email and all the best!

If you found this article helpful, then you’ll love Mike’s NEW book of phone scripts, “The Ultimate Book of Phone Scripts.”  Get over 220 Brand New Scripts to help you easily get past the gatekeeper, set appointments, overcome objections and close more sales. Visit:  http://www.mrinsidesales.com/booklaunch.htm and get over $400 of FREE Sales Bonuses by Jeffrey Gitomer, Tom Hopkins and more!!

Do you have an underperforming inside sales team?  Talk to Mike to see how he can help you and your team reach your revenue goals.  To learn more about Mike, visit his website: http://www.MrInsideSales.com

–    By Mike Brooks, www.MrInsideSales.com (Taken from my new book, “The Ultimate Book of Phone Scripts”)

I get a lot of ezine topic requests each week, and the majority of them are requests for different questioning techniques to use during the qualification stage. I’m glad to see these requests because it means people understand the importance of identifying and then spending time with buyers.

I’ve written many articles over the years that address these kinds of questions, and if you’ve missed any of them I encourage you to visit my blog here.

Recently, however, I got a request for questions that could be used during the close or presentation stage. That was a good question, and I’m going to cover 5 of my favorites right now. These questions will vary from taking a prospect’s pulse to see if they are with you, to finding out if a benefit you just listed would work for them, all the way to a trial close.

All of these questions are crucial to ask during the close, and after you read them I encourage you to put these into your closing scripts and outlines. They will give you the feedback you’ll need (and don’t get because you’re not in front of your prospect) to close the sale. To get the most benefit from them, begin using them today:

#1 After giving any part of your presentation, you should ask, “Are you with me so far?” You can vary this with, “How does that sound?” Or, “Do you see what I mean?” and, “Does that make sense?”

Always listen carefully to not only what they say, but to how they say it. And always allow a few seconds after they respond to give them time to add something else.

#2 Any time you give a benefit, ask, “How would you use that?” or, “Could you use that?” Or, “Would that work for you?” Or, “Would that be of benefit in your situation?”

Again, LISTEN to what and how they respond…

#3 Another good question to ask throughout your presentation is, “Do you have any questions so far?”

This is one of the best questions to ask, and it’s also one of the least used. You’d be amazed by the kinds of questions you’ll get, and each one reveals what your prospect is thinking. You must use this question often!

#4 Trial closes are always good – “Does this seem to be the kind of solution you are looking for?” or, “How is this sounding so far?” or, with a smile in your voice, “Am I getting close to having a new client yet?”

Even though that sounds cheesy, you’d be amazed by how it will often break the ice and get your prospect to lower his/her guard.

#5 When you’re done with your presentation, always ask, “What haven’t I covered yet that is important to you?”

This is a great way to end your presentation, because if they tell you they don’t have any questions, then you get to ask for the order! If they do have questions, you answer them and then ask for the order!

The bottom line is that asking questions — and then shutting up and listening — is still one of the most important things you can do either during the qualification stage or during the close. Use the above questions during your next presentation and watch your closes get stronger and your income get bigger!

If you found this article helpful, then you’ll love Mike’s NEW book of
phone scripts, “The Ultimate Book of Phone Scripts.”  Get over 220 Brand
New Scripts to help you easily get past the gatekeeper, set appointments,
overcome objections and close more sales. Visit:
https://mrinsidesales.com/ultimatescripts.htm to find out why Brian Tracy
and Tom Hopkins call this the best book on inside sales available today!

Do you have an underperforming inside sales team?  Talk to Mike to see how
he can help you and your team reach your revenue goals.  To learn more
about Mike, visit his website: http://www.MrInsideSales.com