People do business with people they know, like, and trust!

Both Selling Power Magazine and Sales and Marketing Online report that 80 percent of transactions between businesses are the result of relationship/consulting sales.

Most of these transactions happen between people that know each other and have a working relationship, as opposed to salespeople you meet for the first time, like when you buy a car or a new pair of shoes.

Relationships matter in business, open
and honest relationships are the key.

People do business with people they know, like and trust.

How do you get people to know, like and trust you? It’s really simple. Let your prospects do the talking. Remember:

• People buy from you because they like you.
• They like you because you listen.
• The #1 rule in sales: Customers prefer talking to listening.

Successful individuals have mastered the art of active listening and asking skilled questions. These are critical skills that any professional salesperson should have.

According to Asher Strategies, “super salespeople” ask questions and listen much more than they talk. In fact, listening is one the top 10 skills that they have.

When it comes to asking the right questions, practice makes perfect. It also helps to know your options. According to Roy Chitwood of Max Sachs International, there are two types of questions: fact-finding and feeling-finding.

Fact-finding questions are very important to collecting necessary information to figuring out the scope of your solution for the customer. You need the basic facts:

           How many locations do you need to outfit?

What is the time frame for completion?

What is your budget?

Feeling-finding questions uncover your prospect's motives for purchasing, which will not only give you important data, but tell you how your prospect feels. These insights are invaluable tools in closing a sale:

 How do you feel about outfitting 20 locations?

Do you feel this timeframe is aggressive?

How do you feel about an extended warranty?

How have fact finding and feeling finding questions impacted your business relationships and sales?