- What is the current status of the company?
- How is your contact there feeling about things there?
- How does your service or product affect their workflow?
- Do you understand the buying procedures there?
- Are you just waiting for P.O.’s or have you seen them face to face recently?
- How can you impact their bottom line?
- Who else might they be turning to for what you provide and why?
- When you speak, who does most of the talking?
- Have reintroduced your company with updated information since first contact?
- Can you list three personal interests of your client?
I make it a habit to find a way early on in my first conversation with a contact to find out a little about them. More importantly, I write a log of what I learned (or enter it into my CRM), so that I can refer to it later. Sports, family, hobbies, pressures of the company – these priorities help you to know who they are, what they care about and more importantly, what best to bring up in relating what you offer to that they need.
Good sales start with good communication. But more importantly, good work skills. What good is the good communication if next time you speak with them you’ve forgotten all you learned last time? Make a list of questions and post it by your phone or in your work materials. Make getting to know your customer more than just a saying, make it a skill.


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