In Sell More & Work Less, we talk about asking the “hard questions” during the sales process. These are questions that many businesspeople are reluctant to ask because they can be uncomfortable and seen as aggressive. They include questions like:
- Is there budget allocated for this project?
- How does your purchasing process work?
- Do you have a target date to implement this solution?
Those do not look like difficult questions to pose to a prospect. In fact, if you have established even a modest level of rapport, you should be able to inquire about these topics without apprehension, and you are likely to recieve honest answers.
Understanding if (budget), how (process) and when (target date) a prospect is going to purchase will allow you to focus on those who can buy. Allocating your time and resources effectively, based on the answers to these “hard questions”, will result in more business.