Key Questions to Consider
STRATEGY
1. What’s your desired outcome for the active situation / what needs to occur before achieving the end goal? (predict the path/be aware of black swans)
2. Who ultimately gives the ‘green light’ on the purchase? Who DRIVES the decision? (<-- earn the recommendation!)
3. What value props generate most intrigue for your target? How do you plan to position/compel them to move forward?
4. How are you differentiating from your competition (in-force solution + external)?
5. What barriers to sale may prevent you from closing/how can you alleviate concerns & hesitations before the final evaluation?
Delivery
1. How is your pitch structured/does it flow well? (Dial Open / Primary / Close content – transitions & call outs are key!)
2. What components can you re-frame to boost the persuasive impact? What’s the opportunity cost? (money/time/benefits)
3. How do you plan on inducing positive emotion at the beginning & end? (convey confidence & express certainty)
4. Are your key positioning points clearly emphasized? Do they align w/what the buyer told you was most important?
5. What can be done to improve the look/feel of your message? How can you reduce the audience’s effort?
Efficiency
1. How might templates speed up processes? (think – doc w/top selling points, emails to copy & paste routine wording etc.)
2. Is CRM being fully utilized? What habits might you need to ‘bite the bullet’ on and drop/change per leadership?
3. Are you confident your prioritization method is optimal? (focus – probability of sale & relationship importance/potential)
4. How can your delegation improve? Can leadership help shift non-sales tasks to other team members? (get back to selling!)
5. What tasks impact your ability to SELL? What part of your process is most easily adaptable? (think-small, achievable tweaks)
MOTIVATION
1. What's their primary buying motivation and why?
2. What ELSE does the target value? What ‘non-spreadsheet’ factors are important?
3. How is your solution aligned w/the target’s specific situation?
4. What did they tell you about their expectations / how can you EXCCED them?
5. How are you improving their current solution/process
2. What ELSE does the target value? What ‘non-spreadsheet’ factors are important?
3. How is your solution aligned w/the target’s specific situation?
4. What did they tell you about their expectations / how can you EXCCED them?
5. How are you improving their current solution/process
UNKNOWNS
1. What value/information is important but isn't known/top of the buyer’s mind?
2. What’s a pain stemming from the current process which they’ve yet to realize?
3. What value props aren’t they aware of/what Q’s can help you gauge motivation?
4. Why is the target’s current solution behind the curve? How are you enhancing?
5. Who all benefits from your solution but might not be aware of the full value?
2. What’s a pain stemming from the current process which they’ve yet to realize?
3. What value props aren’t they aware of/what Q’s can help you gauge motivation?
4. Why is the target’s current solution behind the curve? How are you enhancing?
5. Who all benefits from your solution but might not be aware of the full value?
Decision-Driver
1. What factors make up their decision criteria?
2. Who owns a problem you can solve? Are they aware of all competitive advantages?
3. How can you convey value to all decision makers/drivers/benefactors involved?
4. What extra incentives would boost motivation? Who can help you close the deal?
5. What best earns you the Driver’s recommendation? Are you making life easier?
2. Who owns a problem you can solve? Are they aware of all competitive advantages?
3. How can you convey value to all decision makers/drivers/benefactors involved?
4. What extra incentives would boost motivation? Who can help you close the deal?
5. What best earns you the Driver’s recommendation? Are you making life easier?
BARRIERS
1. What specific factors could PREVENT the sale?
2. Who do you need address to clear barriers?
3. What objections do you anticipate/are you prepared to handle?
4. Have all concerns & hesitations been cleared?
5. What areas are you at a competitive DIS-advantage?
2. Who do you need address to clear barriers?
3. What objections do you anticipate/are you prepared to handle?
4. Have all concerns & hesitations been cleared?
5. What areas are you at a competitive DIS-advantage?
Technique
1. What are their opportunity costs?
2. How are you better aligned w/their specific goals vs competition?
3. How is their current solution or process ‘behind the curve?’
4. What’s your edge/how can you leverage?
5. Why might you be perceived as ‘salesy’?
2. How are you better aligned w/their specific goals vs competition?
3. How is their current solution or process ‘behind the curve?’
4. What’s your edge/how can you leverage?
5. Why might you be perceived as ‘salesy’?
CHANGE
1. Who runs point on implementation?
2. What pain do they associate with change/how can you alleviate it?
3. How does NOT changing contradict their stated goal?
4. What capabilities can help ensure a seamless process?
5. What about their current solution do they like/did you confirm inclusion?
2. What pain do they associate with change/how can you alleviate it?
3. How does NOT changing contradict their stated goal?
4. What capabilities can help ensure a seamless process?
5. What about their current solution do they like/did you confirm inclusion?
FAMILIARITY
1. Does your message feel familiar/good/true/effortless to the audience?
2. What aspects might the target perceive as complex? How can you guide understanding?
3. How can you be viewed as a relatable peer vs. a typical sales rep they usually deal with?
4. What info/value are unnecessary for this specific buyer? Worth cutting in communication?
5. Who is reviewing your materials? Does role/demographic shift what you emphasize?
2. What aspects might the target perceive as complex? How can you guide understanding?
3. How can you be viewed as a relatable peer vs. a typical sales rep they usually deal with?
4. What info/value are unnecessary for this specific buyer? Worth cutting in communication?
5. Who is reviewing your materials? Does role/demographic shift what you emphasize?
Impact
1. What value props should you re-frame (+/-) to maximize the impact of your message?
2. How can you (subtly) trigger fear of missing out/bring past pain top of mind at final pitch?
3. How can you tailor examples to better paint the picture of your audience?
4. What value carries the greatest emotional weight? How are you correlating?
5. What can you adapt/re-frame to craft a stickier message?
2. How can you (subtly) trigger fear of missing out/bring past pain top of mind at final pitch?
3. How can you tailor examples to better paint the picture of your audience?
4. What value carries the greatest emotional weight? How are you correlating?
5. What can you adapt/re-frame to craft a stickier message?
CLOSE
1. How can you make the decision a ‘no brainer’ for the other side?
2. Does your solution exceed expectations? Do they agree? (get stated confirmation!)
3. Were actionable next steps outlined? How do you plan to follow-up?
4. What is your post-sale plan? How can you impress/build confidence by sharing?
5. How have you thought ‘outside the box’ to bring a better solution to the table?
2. Does your solution exceed expectations? Do they agree? (get stated confirmation!)
3. Were actionable next steps outlined? How do you plan to follow-up?
4. What is your post-sale plan? How can you impress/build confidence by sharing?
5. How have you thought ‘outside the box’ to bring a better solution to the table?
ADAPT
1. Why might the situation require adaptation to both content & behavior?
2. How do you plan to improve your approach and efficiency processes this month/year?
3. What influence techniques can you adopt and make routine in your approach?
4. Is your effort level reflected in current close ratio? How can you elevate it further?
5. What does your instinct tell you about achieving YOUR goals? (go get it!)
2. How do you plan to improve your approach and efficiency processes this month/year?
3. What influence techniques can you adopt and make routine in your approach?
4. Is your effort level reflected in current close ratio? How can you elevate it further?
5. What does your instinct tell you about achieving YOUR goals? (go get it!)
Listening
1. What stated details reflect the buyer’s underlying motivation?
2. How might better note-taking improve your organization efforts?
3. Why does their tone indicate adaptation is needed?
4. What shortcomings are most glaring? How are you using feedback to improve?
5. What details are established vs. what do you need to uncover/predict?
2. How might better note-taking improve your organization efforts?
3. Why does their tone indicate adaptation is needed?
4. What shortcomings are most glaring? How are you using feedback to improve?
5. What details are established vs. what do you need to uncover/predict?
WIN
1. Putting yourself in the shoes of a specific target – why would YOU buy from YOU?
2. Have you generated excitement for moving forward?
3. Why have you lost sales in the past? How can you prevent/limit losses in the future?
4. Is the buyer aware of all enhancements over their current solution?
5. How did you EARN the green light?
2. Have you generated excitement for moving forward?
3. Why have you lost sales in the past? How can you prevent/limit losses in the future?
4. Is the buyer aware of all enhancements over their current solution?
5. How did you EARN the green light?