Probe for Understanding

Conversations with your customer should have a single purpose…to learn more about your customer’s problem or goal so that you can create a solution that they will value enough to buy.

Salespeople who are best at probing for understanding what their customers care most about are the salespeople who consistently win and help their customers succeed.

Here are some solution selling training tips from the experts:

• Know your client: Learn as much as you can from talking to people in the industry and reading all you can find in trade journals and on the internet.
• Do your homework.  Ask a few questions that show you have done your homework but that will elicit answers that fill in the blanks from your research.
• Listen actively. Give your full attention to what your customer is saying. Be curious. Show that you want to learn more…not because you want to sell but because you want to help them succeed.
• Take action.  End with agreement on next steps.

Remember, this is an iterative process but, if you follow it, there will be a time when the “next step” will be the signing of a contract.