3 Questions to Help Your Customer Embrace Reality

“You can’t always get what you want. But if you try sometimes – you just might find – you get what you need.”  The Rolling Stones

Have you seen the episode of House Hunters where a couple starts by saying they want an incredible five-bedroom home with a view of the ocean for under $300,000? By the end of the show reality sets in and they end up with a three-bedroom home with no view for $350,000?

Okay, so I basically described every episode of House Hunters ever produced. Of course, it’s not that different for your customers. Everyone wants more than they can afford – that’s reality. And it’s true with cars, computers, homes… any big-ticket purchase.

The issue is that everyone starts out thinking their wants are actually their needs. But as is so often the case in life, reality clarifies the difference.

A big part of your job is to ask the clarifying questions that help your customers embrace reality. They just can’t have everything they want, but you can help them get what they need.

And the earlier you get your customer to embrace their own reality, the more enjoyable the customer’s journey.

Consider asking these three questions to help clarify reality early on in the sales presentation :

1. Is this a “have to have” or a “really want to have”?

That subtle difference in the two questions speaks volumes as to what really matters.

2. What do you have now that you absolutely cannot live without?

Understanding your customer’s current situation will go a long way towards understanding the difference between wants and needs.

3. If everything were perfect except for _______, would you still be interested?

The key here is to isolate a sticking point and weigh it against the total value package. Your customer will let you know in a hurry if that issue is non-negotiable.

The fact is that great salespeople are counselors. They help customers to define what really matters and what reality allows. They help customers make their dreams come true.