Why today?

Here's a great question to ask when you're working with a prospect and are in the Needs and Desires Investigation step of the selling process (this example is a furniture sales training example, but you could apply this concept to virtually any product or service):

"How come you're looking for a new sofa today instead of a year ago or a year from now?"

This question helps nudge the prospect out of their "I'm just looking" mindset and into a more realistic acknowledgment of their level of urgency for this purchase. When asked this question, prospects will often give you clear and concise information about their purchasing motivation, which can in turn help build sales momentum.

A prospect might answer by saying, "I can't stand our old sofa any more, it's falling apart and the fabric is gross - I just have to get a new one." After a prospect makes that kind of announcement, it's more difficult for the prospect to later say "I need to think about it!"

Of course, you won't always get such a clear statement of urgency from every prospect. And that's okay, because whatever information you're able to acquire by asking this question will be valuable. As salespeople, the more information we have about our prospects and their individual situations, the higher the likelihood we'll be able to make a sale, if not today, someday.

 

Skip Anderson is the Founder and President of Selling to Consumers, a B2C sales training and consulting company. Subscribe to the free Selling to Consumers Sales Tips Newsletter.