Sales Opening Techniques: The Transition
The perfect sales opening involves asking the right questions to your prospect, as well as making a connection with them. What comes next, though? How do you transition into making the actual sale?
Today, we’re going to learn about the transition statement.
Although you may not have gotten into great detail about the transition statement in the past, you have certainly attempted to use it.
Think about it. You’ve made your sales opening by getting your lead to talk about themselves and open up. Things are going pretty well.
But how do you transition into a selling conversation?
The Importance of the Perfect Transition Statement
We’ve been talking about the perfect sales opening. In one of our previous posts, we talked about setting the emotional altitude. Then we talked about finding a connection point.
You’re a human, I’m a human, let’s connect on that level.
But now, how do you transition from making the connection to making the sale?
This is a critical question, and you must have an answer for it.
How to Start the Transition Statement
The starting point is this:
- What is your target?
- What is the key question you’re trying to get to?
- Where do you want to go from here?
Suppose you’re selling computers. What is the most important question in computer sales?
I can tell you what it is and I won’t be wrong, even though I’ve never sold a computer in my life.
The most important question is this:
WHY DO YOU NEED A COMPUTER?
Nothing else comes close. Why do you need a computer?
It all begins with determining the buyer’s motivation.
I don’t care what you’re actually selling. Every sales transaction has to begin with a clear understanding of motivation.
What is the buyer trying to accomplish?
This technique is called PERMISSION TO QUESTION.
Let me demonstrate it first, and then I’ll break it down for you.
Adapting the Permission to Question in Sales
Once again, suppose I’m selling computers. It might sound something like this:
May I ask you a few quick questions so that I can be sure that I’m pointing you in the right direction?
This is the start of the PERMISSION TO QUESTION.
May I ask you a few quick questions? In other words, This is not going to take very long.
Customers love this kind of interaction. And if you’re asking it properly, meaning you’ve had enough practice at this, you’re going to get a YES about 99% of the time.
Buyers love this question because it’s about THEM.
You are showing curiosity and getting them to essentially talk about themselves or something related to themselves.
In this case, it’s about their need for a computer.
Understanding the Most Important Question in Sales
Now, once you get a yes, and you WILL, then you’re setting the scene up for what is going to happen next.
And what’s going to happen next is that you’re going to ask the most important question in sales: WHY?
What is your motivation? Why are you looking for a computer, or a car, or a software solution, or a home, or whatever it happens to be?
The best way to understand the WHY question is to practice it.
Think about several different sales objects and/or services.
Now, think about WHY you would need them. Put yourself in the buyer’s shoes, and really think about coming up with as many WHYs as possible.
Wrapping Up
Once you start to practice this regularly, you will soon have no problem coming up with this most important question in sales! You’ll be a pro at making the transition statement and closing the deal in no time.
Until next time, learn more to earn more.
