Ask the question and make the sale!!!!

There is no doubt that properly structured, well-delivered and correctly articulated questions are the most essential tools for successful selling. Let's take a quick look at 10 reasons why questions are so essential to your sales success:

Questions put you in control of the interaction.
Questions indicate you're interested in learning more about the prospect and their business.
Questions allow you to learn more.
Questions serve as a means to allow prospects to do most of the talking.
Questions allow you to learn when, how, what and why a prospect will buy your product or service.
Questions prove you are interested in learning more about the prospect than in talking about yourself.
Questions give you time to think.
Questions display an image of professionalism and depth of interest.
Questions position you as a problem solver.
Questions prepare you to present your product or service in the precise way your prospect wants to see it.

Do those 10 reasons help to convince you? If these ten don't do the trick, then let me ask you a few questions?

What do you like most about living where you live?
If you could change anything about living there, what would it be?
What would you like your local government officials to do more of? Less of?
What is the one thing that could make your community the best in the county?

If I were in a position to solve your problems or help you with issues as related to these four questions you'd be thrilled to have me ask you those questions, wouldn't you? Especially if you believed I could do something immediately?and if the things that were bothering you were of significant importance to you.

The bottom line? Asking the right questions and then being in a position to prescribe exactly the right set of solutions to solve them is what professional selling is all about! Let me give you 10 questions that I guarantee (yes, guarantee!) will work for you no matter what it is you sell or to whom you sell it. Here we go:

What is it that you'd like someone like me to help you solve or achieve?
What, if anything, are you looking for that you haven't found?
What is it in your current situation that you absolutely do not want to see changed?
If you could change anything about your current situation (product, service, supplier, vendor, etc.) what would it be?
What have you seen in the marketplace that has particularly appealed to you?
Who else, other than you, of course, is involved in this decision?
What kind of a time frame, if any, are you working with on this project?
How do you normally handle this type of decision?
How would you define an effective solution for your situation?
What kind of budget range do you have for this project?

Let me give you a tip: Use these questions EXACTLY as they are written! Write them down and refer to them. As your prospect tells you the answers, record their response and then be prepared to solve their problems?don't recommend things they don't need. Present your product or service the way they want to see it?you get the picture. You see, there is no way to solve a problem, fill a need, satisfy a difficulty, create value or present a product without knowing precisely how to do it.

There is little doubt that effective questioning is the essence of effective selling. There is also little doubt that it could be the size most elusive skill related to the face-to-face portion of any sale.

Let's take a look at a great way to learn how to ask the right questions in the right ways. Invest your time in watching more television. But here's the secret ? don't watch situation comedies, sports or MTV. Instead, start watching shows like Meet The Press, Face The Nation or The Today Show. Study the ways that expert interviewers ask questions. Study their phrasing, sentence structure, ability to ask follow-up questions and the tough questions. Notice how they don't interrupt the person being interviewed?how they ask for clarification and clearer explanations of key points.