It’s an ‘open and shut’ case – it's about listening, not talking!

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 | By Paul Jacobs

Some people will tell you that you need the “gift of the gab” to sell, but it is my belief that you only gain knowledge when you shut your mouth and open your ears.

After all, when we speak we merely hear what we already know, whereas when you ask a question and listen intently to the answer, you are gifted with detail that was previously unknown.

Knowledge makes you King!

To understand a client’s needs, you need to solicit information and refrain from making assumptions, and we all know what ’assuming’ makes us…

Open question techniques

Ask a colleague to use the ’Funnel’ technique, and witness how quickly they revert to using closed questions that demand a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer.

“Can you?” “Will you?” “Are you?” “Would it?” “Wouldn’t it?”  “Could you?” “Have you?” are all examples of framing a question that will guarantee a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer?

Not great when you are trying to gain highly valuable information. So what is the Funnel technique?

It is a method of using a broad question that commences a dialogue, and then uses tighter open-ended questions that ultimately exhaust a subject matter and brings the “probing questions” to a fine ultimate point.

Open-ended questioning techniques all use the following words:

“How?” “What?” “Why?” “Which?” “Where” “When?”

The constant use of these questions, inserted at the front of a sentence, or embedded comfortably in the middle or at the end of a conversational style question, will always result in an answer that contains to a greater or lesser degree, detailed information.

It is impossible to answer an open-ended question with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response.

Practice makes perfect

Like any professional, it is an imperative to practise the basics every day – just ask a singer who practices vocal scales; a tennis player who practices serve, volley, backhand and forehand strokes; a musician who practices chord sequences – it is all about practice!

So, try the Funnel technique and practice with a colleague.

Start with a broad question, for example “When was the last occasion that you used the services of a recruitment consultancy?”, and then having digested the answer, construct another open-ended question to gain further detail; for example, “What specific skills were you seeking from a temporary/contract worker?” – and so forth.

Try it. It’s not easy, is it?   

Note how quickly you lapse into closed “Can you?”, “Have you?”, Were you?” type questions that provide a short sharp and not always welcomed response.

Defining needs is just the start point

Of course, understanding clients’ needs is merely the start of the process that we define as the sales process – and in many respects the easy part.

Asking open-ended questions in rapid and logical succession takes skill and speed of thought, and you need to lead the conversation to a pre-determined place of your choosing in order to exhaust the subject matter.

Furthermore, you need to explore a wide variety of subjects to define the full potential requirements of every client, and they will all differ dependent upon the unique characteristics of the company and individual that you are targeting.

Once you have clearly understood the need, now you segue into a recapping technique that will enable you to repeat back to the client his stated position to ensure that you have fully understood the details received, before you deliver the features and benefits of your services that will comprehensively meet and exceed the defined needs.

And we haven’t yet reached a closing position!

When will you start to practice your Funnel technique?

You now recognise that this is an open question – and I have asked it for a deliberate purpose.

As basic as you may feel that the instructions that I have outlined in this article may appear, I challenge you to become an Open Master, and practise the art of using funnelled questioning techniques until it is as natural as walking and breathing.

Becoming a super salesperson is not an accident or a birthright, it is entirely about practising your art until you have achieved total mastery of your craft.

We will address needs, features and benefits, and closing techniques in future articles.

Paul Jacobs is managing director of LoveWorkLife.

E-mail: paul@loveworklife.com. 

M: +44 (0)7960 550756