Five questions that might serve you extremely well:
• What kind of a time frame are you working with?
• What kind of a budget range do you have in mind?
• What do you like most about your current supplier?
• Who else, other than you, is involved in making this type of decision?
• If we can solve your problems what will that mean to your business?
Your Advantage Must Be Established:
If I’m your prospect, what would make me decide to buy from you? You tell me. For example, in the marketplace are you the best at delivery, customer service, technical support, quality, pricing, convenience, financing, etc.? The marketplace is full of mediocre providers, and you can settle into that group very easily. What makes you different and better? If you can answer that question, you will likely have found your advantage. Use advantages to leverage your positioning with your prospects to win their business.
The most successful salespeople in today’s competitive marketplace follow a selling process which allows prospects to buy within the timeframe – and in the way – they want to buy. There is simply too much information at the customer’s fingertips to force a product or service on them.