ACTION 3: ASK QUESTIONS TO ENGAGE AND GET THEM TALKING
An easy way to turn the focus to Them and get them talking as early as possible is by asking questions. There are two kinds of questions to use in the Initiate step, Time and Connection.
Time to Talk?
Show that you value their time by addressing it very early in the conversation. By addressing time, you can determine the pace of the conversation, reschedule if necessary, and alleviate any fears or concerns they have about time:
• “We have thirty minutes scheduled. Does that sound okay?”
• “So that we make good use of our time, how much time did you plan for our conversation?”
• “Does this time still work for you?”
Their response to the time question tells you if you can move forward or if you need to reschedule to a more convenient time. It’s a courtesy many sellers skip because well-meaning marketers and sales managers—fearful of a no—tell them to never ask for time. While you can eliminate a no now, if you push a conversation on Them that they haven’t agreed upon, how far will you get? I believe asking for time shows respect for them and demonstrates your desire to collaborate and make it about Them.
Tribal “Time” Customs
Address the issue of time—in a way that is appropriate to each Tribal Type—to demonstrate that you are considerate, paying attention to time, and not going to waste their time.
Achievers always have time on their mind. Confirming or asking about it reassures Them that you will keep things moving and communicates how much of their time you will take. Often they will say, “We have sixty minutes scheduled but I hope we can finish in forty so I can get to my next meeting.” You’ll know it’s a valuable conversation when they stop looking at their clock.
Commanders want to control the time and tell you how much time is needed or available. They will also expect that you stick to whatever time you planned. Pay close attention to time and do time check-ins throughout the conversation.
Reflectors need to know they will have time to really have a conversation, get information, and have their questions answered. Their concern is whether you are going to rush them. By confirming and clarifying time you reduce this concern.
Expressers may not think of time. They are flexible and generous with the time they will give you. Your job is to keep the conversation on track to accomplish your objective.
Once you know the time situation for the buyer, whether it is five minutes or an hour and a half, you are then able to adjust the pace and possibly your agenda.
Turn the Focus to Them with Connection Questions
When you have permission for time with the buyer, or time confirmation, ask a connection question. These are relevant questions to engage the person and connect with Them. Connection questions are about Them, not your solution, and could be about anything from a common point in your backgrounds to their experiences in their job or company. This is a momentary stop to engage the buyer as a person, before the investigation into their POWNs.
Asking connection questions—and hearing their response—is your opportunity to break their preoccupation, to get a feel for their Tribal Type and their level of openness to you, and to find out more about Them. If they give a short, curt response to the connection question, it’s time to move forward to the Investigate step.
While sometimes it is necessary to begin the agenda items after confirming time, there are many willing buyers who want to connect with you first. You may be surprised at how many buyers will engage with you when given the opportunity to do so. The buyer’s experience and value is enhanced when you give Them the opportunity to engage with you personally.
The connection question could be an occasion you shared, opinions on their company, the market, your industry, the time of year, the location, something that just happened in the news, who they are associated with, past experiences, other interests, their role, the status of something you both know about, or a connection of topics from past conversations such as work projects, family, hobbies, vacation, or a work transition.
However you prefer to start a sales conversation doesn’t matter as much as how They like to begin and what They want to talk about. That’s how knowing a buyer’s Tribal Type can guide you to the right question to ask. Depending on the Type, asking about the weather, family, or weekend plans might work—or should be avoided! Plan your connection questions to be relevant to Them by reviewing notes from previous conversations or topics you find from the company website or social networking sites. You can also ask others who know the person or situation to identify the most probable and relevant questions for this conversation and person.
The buyer’s environment provides clues for connection questions, whether it’s a home, office, or vehicle. You may find pictures, memorabilia, or plaques that give you a conversation opener.
Take the seller who noticed a picture of the buyer in a fishing boat. Their conversation about fishing consumed 75 percent of their time together and produced a time for the next appointment before the meeting ended. That second meeting was easy, the seller told me, and a sale was made.
Achievers and Commanders often respond to connection questions that are more business-related and less focused on personal things. For instance:
• “How did last quarter finish for your team or company?”
• “In doing research, I noticed that you’ve been in the industry a long time. What kinds of changes have you seen?”
• “Last time we spoke, you mentioned that the company was starting a new product development project. How’s that going?”
• “How is _______ working out?”
These are business-related questions that stop short of focusing on agenda specifics.
For consumer sales situations, ask Achievers and Commanders connection questions such as:
• “What did you think of _________ (insert an event, relevant news, our last meeting)?”
• “How long have you been interested in (or searched for) ________________________ (insert the product)?”
For Reflectors and Expressers, ask connection questions about themselves, others they know, or how they feel about something in the news, the weather, their family, or their company. For example:
• “Jim Smith, who referred me to you, said he used to work with you. How long did you work together?”
• “How was your weekend?”
• “I see that your phone number is an Arizona number. How long have you lived there?”
• “You mentioned in your LinkedIn profile that you graduated from the University of Toronto. What led you to attend that college?”
For consumer sales situations, ask Reflectors and Expressers questions such as:
• “How do you feel about _____________ (insert an event, relevant news, your last meeting)?”
• “What do you like or dislike about ______________ (insert their job, location)?”
• “Tell me about your family.”
TIMELY TIP
Discussing religion or politics is dangerous and frequently a conversation-stopper. Criticizing or complaining about others, including your competition, can also shut down a conversation quickly—you never know the buyer’s connection to your competition! Possibly the biggest conversation stopper is you doing most or all of the talking. Give Them the opportunity to talk as soon as possible.
A caution about connection questions: You may get a very short or abrupt answer. If you do, then it’s time to seek permission to move into the agenda or topic they agreed to talk with you about or ask them additional questions, if necessary, about the objective of your visit. That’s when you are officially in the Investigate step of WIIFT.
Connection questions Initiate the conversation and the buyer’s responses provide insight and a connection for you to build from.
The Initiate step is your first opportunity to engage the buyer and begin learning about Them and what is important to Them. When you Initiate your conversations, adapt the Three-Step Start to the situation. You may find that sometimes using all three steps in quick succession for outbound, unplanned cold contacts works well. For most conversations, though, this is a joint effort; you greet, listen to their response and return their greeting, explain why or remind them why you are connecting, let them contribute their thoughts to the objective and agenda, and then ask a question to engage Them.
Successful Initiations are more than what you say in the Three-Step Start. How you communicate at the beginning of your conversation is just as important. Listening, eye contact, and focusing on Them are needed for you to engage and connect with the buyer.