What is their problem?

By Ron S. La Vine
President of Accelerated Sales Training, Inc.

Sales professionals depend on knowing how to ask the right questions to discover the real needs of our clients. Often our clients tell us what they would like us to do, such as, "I need a solution on change management," but without telling us the ultimate result they want to achieve.

To be truly effective we must be able to help our clients articulate the cause of the problem and to be able to identify what would be different if the solution is successful. Armed with this additional information we can then design the most effective solution for the problem at hand.

So what are some examples of questions and statements you can use to open up the prospect to discussing their problems.

Help me understand. How do you measure your key performance indicators?

I would like to learn a little more about. What do you do when that happens?

Where do you find are the bottlenecks?

How high is the absentee rate?

What are the biggest challenges you are currently facing?

What are your top priorities over the next three months?

Tell me more about that…

Give me an idea how you currently process that specific type of data?

(Continued Below)

Accelerated Sales Training enables companies such as yours to:

◦Break into new accounts

◦Reach decision-makers

◦Identify and Qualify opportunities

◦Meet and exceed sales quotas

◦Shorten sales cycles

Examples of Key Results Produced

•Tripled call center lead generation performance while the Inside Sales group doubled its results in setting qualified appointments.

•Added 74 new customers in one quarter.

•Increased sales from $695 million to $1.1 billion over a 5 year period.

•Boosted sales by 19.3% quarterly and increased profit before taxes by 24% for the past fiscal year.

•Completed a $2.8 million in new license revenue at a major insurance company.

•Closed a $208,000 deal that paid for the entire prospecting program.

•Identified over $61 million in software revenues from 1989 to 1997.

Ron S. La Vine, MBA is president and founder of Accelerated Sales Training, Inc., a LIVE cold call/new business development sales training firm located in Oak Park, CA. For a complementary sales training needs analysis, call Ron at
1-818-519-3852 or send an email to: analysis@ast-incorp.com.

Over 100 LinkedIn recommendations can be found by clicking here:
http://tinyurl.com/2e7zllh

Hi Ron,
We have been using your cold calling system for over 5 years and it is as relevant today as it was back when my salesforce attended your training. Using your system never fails to get them to the right person in a very short period of time. Thanks for the recent coaching.
Best regards,
Mike Blaszak., VP of Sales
ISYS Search Software, Inc

Ron,
Although we don't correspond much, your training was one of the best because it was hands on, as you advertise.
Steven T, Account Manager


Dear Ron,
I've written this recommendation of your work to share with other LinkedIn users. Details of the Recommendation: "Ron is a tremendously talented, effective, and entertaining sales trainer. His telephone prospecting workshops provide an immediate return on investment."
Larry S. Sales Trainer

Hi Ron,
I hope all is well with you. Your training was the best sales training I ever received.
Michael W. Sales Rep

(Continued from Above)

Please describe how you use spreadsheets?

What do you do when your system goes down?

Please explain your funding process?

Compare for me how your test scores went down last year and up this year?

In what way do you measure your production?

To what extent has this been a problem?

Go through the steps when your production line goes down?

What happens when a system outage occurs?

These questions are designed to root out the problems, needs or challenges your prospect is incurring right now. The next question is one you need to ask yourself. Can you fix the problem with your solution?

If the answer is “yes” or even a partial “yes” then you have the basis for closing for an appointment. If the answer is “no”, you’re better off letting the prospect know up front rather than wasting their valuable time or yours.

REPRINT PERMISSION
Ron La Vine, MBA is president and founder of Accelerated Sales Training, Inc., a sales training firm located in Oak Park, CA. You can get a special report “41 sales Tips You Can Use Right Now” AND the free bimonthly Sales Tips for Selling Success eZine all by signing up at http://www.ast-incorp.com. If you would like information on Live Cold Calling Sales Training please call Ron at 818-991-6487 PST. © 2009 by Accelerated Sales Training, Inc.

Make it a great day and a successful week!


Ron S. La Vine, MBA, President and CEO

Accelerated Sales Training, Inc.
Live Cold Call New Business Development Sales Training™
Helping you Break into and Qualify New Accounts™
http://www.ast-incorp.com

Complementary Sales Tips
http://www.ast-incorp.com/free.htm

Join me at LinkedIn
http://www.linkedin.com/in/ronlavine

Accelerated Sales Training, Inc.
638 Lindero Canyon Road, Suite 283
Oak Park, CA 91377
818-519-3852 Mobile
818-991-5938 Fax
mailto:rslavine@ast-incorp.com