Tom's Talent Blog

“Why do they continue to put up with such high turnover?”

“They keep telling me their current vendor can’t fill their positions, but I just can’t get them to make a change!”

One of the most frustrating aspects of the sales process is when we know the prospect is not happy with their current situation, but they still won’t pull the trigger. Why do they continue to deal with such major issues, when they have even told us that we are a better solution?

Its because we tend to focus on “issues” rather than the consequences associated with these issues. We talk about turnover, time to fill, no shows, the quality and productivity of employees, etc. All of these are issues that the prospect deals with, but in many cases they are not enough to compel them to make a change.

Image courtesy of num_skyman at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Your presentation to the prospect has just wrapped up. You’ve offered a compelling solution and built rapport and credibility with the decision makers. You are so close to landing this deal, and then you hear the dreaded words - “We’ll get back to you.” You get in your car with the other presenters (or call your manager) and discuss how it seemed like it went really well, but then at the very end they were non-committal. Maybe they were really enthusiastic, but uncommitted nonetheless: “This has been really great! We’ll get back to you soon!”

Sound familiar?

The key to building on a successful presentation is to ask questions that confirm the buyer’s level of interest, address any outstanding concerns, and nail down a definitive next step that moves the sales process forward or wins the business. Here are 8 questions you can use that are effective in determining your position and gaining buyer commitment.