Andrew Sobel, Author at Andrew Sobel - Page 31 of 49
Do You Have Time to Think and Reflect?
Do you ever have the nagging feeling that you don’t have time to really think anymore? You’re not alone. A variety of factors have conspired to rob us of time for reflection about ourselves, our lives, and the problems and issues that our clients face.
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Are You Easy to Do Business With?
Some businesses are very hard to interact with. I have dealt with insurance companies, for example, which seem to put up barriers to prevent customers from talking to people who can actually solve their problem. If you buy a consumer product, like a camera or software program, and it breaks, good luck trying to call the manufacturer.
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Two types of questions that will deepen your client relationships
Once you have acquired a new client, the next challenge is to create a personal connection and deepen the relationship. The right power questions will help you do this. I like to ask what I call Passion questions and Depth questions.
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Using Power Questions to Build Peer Relationships with Sales Prospects
Sometimes it can feel like buyers have the upper hand. They have many service providers to choose from. Everyone calls on them and aggressively pitches for their business. How can you be viewed as a peer, as someone who has something valuable to offer, rather than a commodity vendor? Thoughtful power questions can help you earn greater respect immediately.
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When the Sale Is Stuck: 5 Preconditions for a Client to Buy
Do you ever find that you are slogging through meeting after meeting with a prospect, month after month, without reaching a sale? You have lots of conversations, but there is no forward progress. In today’s economy, there are in fact lots of sales conversations that go on and on without ever arriving anywhere. You can avoid this by asking a series of incisive questions that help you verify if the preconditions for a sale are present.
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A Burden Borne by Few for Many
May 28th of this year is Memorial Day in the United States, a day of remembrance for those who gave their lives in war. My mother and my father both served extended combat tours in World War II. My mother was a Lieutenant in the US Army--a nurse. She followed the troops into the Continent from D-Day onwards.
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Use Power Questions to Handle Discount Pressure
Unfortunately, the easiest and most direct way to increase value (which is benefits minus price paid) is to pressure a service provider to lower their fees. Remember, too, that clients ask for discounts for different reasons. I have observed no less than five types of clients who ask for discounts:
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Ask, Don’t Tell: Using Power Questions to Create Clients for Life
The CEO of a $12 billion company summed it up neatly when he told me, “When someone walks into my office and is trying to market to me or sell something, I can always tell how experienced he or she is by the quality of the questions they ask.” I’ve heard the same message from hundreds of c-suite executives: the people who really impress them are the ones who ask the most thought-provoking questions.
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