Many times, (a prospect’s) needs and wants may be discovered by selecting the proper market to probe. For years, Ziglar Training Systems has worked with Dunn’s Marketing in purchasing direct-mail lists with specific SIC (Strategic Industry Code) information that allows us to penetrate markets prone to have specific needs.
Outstanding sales professionals do their homework and discover background information on companies-and often do this before making the sales call- especially if they sell a high-ticket item or specialize in significant repeat business. My friend Jerry Aull sells training products and seminars in the Atlanta, GA, area. Jerry has an assistant who goes into an organization and requests information ranging from the annual report to the name of the administrative assistant who works for the decision maker . . . and Jerry’s assistant is telemarketing! He is making thousands of dollars’ worth of sales, and his only faceto- face contact is done in a research mode.
Jerry Aull, who is truly an outstanding speaker and trainer as well as super successful sales professional, takes the information and makes face-to-face calls for the necessary accounts. Jerry and his assistant make a great team that is setting records for the company while helping thousands of people to be more efficient and effective in their lives.
Regardless of how you do your homework or how much homework you might do, the probing is eventually done with the client or prospect. Again, no matter what product or service, the same basic “probing principles” apply.
Probing begins with asking questions. You must develop an attitude of curiosity and sincere interest in the answers to your questions. Let the little child out. Studies have shown that children from the ages of 2 to 12 may ask as many as 80 questions per day. When they get to high school, those questions are down to 35 to 40 per day. In the business world, we are asking only 10 to 15 questions per day. We need to ask questions as a child does. . . .
Zig Ziglar is the Chairman of the Board of Ziglar Training Systems. Subscribe to his free newsletter at www.ziglartraining.com. He can be contacted at 800.527.0306, or by email at info@ziglartraining.com. This article was reprinted with permission. All rights reserved
