Return to site

 

Mini-Series: How to design a conversation for any selling situation and win even when they say NO!

𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟑: 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐲.

So, you’ve used Part 2 to perfectly set the container for yourself and the other human to have a real conversation. Congrats!

Now it’s time to have the conversation.

Keep in mind that you want to control the frame and energy as an expert with 100% confidence in what you do!

Go in like a surgeon and switch from relaxed friendly questions to leadership questions that show you have unique insights and figure out what they are struggling with.

Ask yourself “Would a leader say that?” Talk about them and their goals.

𝐁𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬.

Help them get clarity on what they want and what the problem is so they can make a decision on what to do next.

Help people actually feel your expertise on the call by helping them look at their problem in a different way and where the real problem lies. Help them just see where the problem is.

And if you help them see that and the way to solve it you are going to demonstrate your expertise.

Don’t pitch and stay in understanding them and what is going on.

Agree that is the problem. And see if you can help.

𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Depending on the intention and conversation you are having you will use different question.

In a connection and discovery call you want to understand: the current state, the goal, what’s important about the goal, the problem, the impact (upside & downside), and their level of commitment.

You can also ask about 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐛𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭, 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤𝐬, and what they are looking for in a business partner.

It may take couple conversations to really dig in and see if you can help.

What they want is most important and spend time exploring that with them. Help them build and expand the vision for what they want.

𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 “𝐀” 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. Powerful questions demonstrate expertise, build rapport, and provide value.

You can really dig in by setting up a “2 Question Rule” or asking “So What?”

Remember your powerful questions are a gift.

You want to get in there with the person and help them be clear about the pain they are in.

And in a sales conversation, you want to explore the cost (Money, Time, Risk, Status) of the pain they are in.

When you ask a question shut up, be silent, and listen.

𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 & 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧

In my business I’m always looking for: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 & 𝐓𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞.

And the truth of their commitment to closing the gap.

𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: You can use stories and story questions to go deeper and find more of the truth about the current situation and pain.

You are looking to tell business stories that connect you to the other person and are relevant to their situation.

A story is an actual situation that happened and has a business point.

𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐲: Let them talk.

Really listen & don’t talk over people. Be the best listener they have ever talked with.

Use more finesse which comes from thinking about the person and understanding what’s going on. See things through their eyes first and then help them see through yours.

Key Moments and insights are what you are listening for. And asking questions based on these key insights.

Stay Present and open. Don’t rush. Allow them to experience and express the pain they are in.

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐭.

𝐈𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟒 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫: 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬, 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬

Let me know what questions you have and go have a ton of powerful conversations!