The Language of the Sale: Part 2

Being a sales success is not about telling. It’s about asking open ended questions and listening. Really listening. My model of ‘great questions’ below is about asking questions in a sequence. After years of testing the sequence must be followed to the letter. You will see it follows my 12 step approach to the successful meeting.

Under each of the categories there are a range of questions you could ask. Work out which ones you are comfortable and ask them. Then listen, write down the answer and then ask the next one.

DQ’s – making sure you are speaking with your buyer. Often you are not speaking with all the people who can make a decision. You need to find the decision makers by asking direct questions:

1. Can you sign off on this plan without speaking with anyone else?
2. Who are the owners / directors / shareholders of your business?
3. Who else is involved in making this decision?
4. Who are the key decision makers in your business?

BQ’s – understanding the background of the current situation. You cannot prescribe services until you diagnose the situation. You can ask questions like:

1. So that I can understand your business fully – can you tell me what are the key things that make it work the way it does?
2. If you look back when you first started / bought your business where did you think it would be today?
3. So that I can understand your cashflow situation can I just ask in what order do you pay the following: Yourself, Creditors, Wages, Tax department?
4. What is your overdraft limit and what is the typical cash balance?
5. How has the revenue & profit been over the past 3 years – increasing, flat, going backwards? And what do you put that down to?
6. If you had your time over again what would you do differently?

MQ’s & PQ’s – you need to understand the clients’objectives. Where they want to go, what they want to achieve(motivation) and what they want to fix (problems). Questions like:

1. Over and above what you are planning to do – what would be your ‘ideal world’ business objectives?
2. If you could crystal ball your business and your life what would it look like?
3. Take the business out 3 years – what would you like it to look like?
4. What would you like to achieve by us working together?
5. What help do you need from us – and why?
6. What has lead us to having this meeting – what are you wanting to achieve?
7. What are the current issues you would like solved that you are grappling with?
8. What is getting in the way of you achieving your objectives right now?
9. What are the specific things you want to achieve?
10. Why are these objectives important to you?
11. How badly do you want to achieve these objectives?
12. How confident are you that you will achieve these objectives without our help?
13. What other objectives you would like to achieve?

MMQ’s – you and your client need to understand how the project that you are about to propose will be measured. You need measurement metrics and the client must state what they are. There is only one question to ask once you have determined the objectives.

1. We can certainly help you achieve those objectives. They are completely in line with what we do. We’ve helped many other clients achieve theirs, we enjoy it and we’re good at it. So that you know if you have achieved your objectives we will work with you to measure the success of every project. In line with measuring the success, how would you know if we have helped you achieve your objectives?

VQ’s – the value that the client receives by implementing your ideas. This is where you start to get emotional buy in to your project.

1. We can help you achieve those objectives. As I said we are good at it and we have done it before. If we could help you achieve them what would be the impact on you and the business?
2. If we could help you achieve your objectives what would it mean to you and your business?
3. If we could help you achieve your objectives what are the main benefits you would realise?
4. If we could help you achieve your objectives what significant difference would it make to you and your business?

CQ’s – having your client understand the consequences of not doing buying your services and doing something different. There are 2 key questions and a statement to make at the end.

1. What are your current plans that you have in place to help you achieve your objectives?
2. What are the consequences if you do not do something different?
3. So what you are saying is you have to do something different to achieve your objectives!

TQ’s – timing related questions that start to wrap up the meeting. You need to find out when this project is going to start.

1. What is going to happen from here is I am going to go away and write a detailed implementation plan on how you can achieve your objectives and realise your potential. In the plan it will have an agreed start date, some different implementation options you can choose and a set fee for each of the options. (If appropriate) Any fee charged will be funded out of new cashflow. So that I can set the start date are there any cyclical dates / trips / scheduled coming up that I need to be aware of?
2. Ok - is this a later or a sooner project for you to get started?
3. Great. I will check our workflow schedule and put a proposed start date during the week of (date)? How does suit you?

Finally how to close the meeting and book the next steps – after timing questions.

1. Great. I will send you the implementation plan by close of business (day), you’ll have some questions when you read it and we will more than likely need to meet again. When would you get a chance to read it?
2. So could we meet again on (day) at (time) to answer questions and confirm the appropriate option, and then get you started?
3. So just to confirm. I will send you the implementation plan by close of business (day), you’ll read it (over the weekend), and then if we can meet again on (day) at (time) we’ll go over everything, answer questions and get started. 

You will notice you are NOT talking about your firm, your people, how good you are or your solutions. The entire conversation is about the client. Their situation and what they want to achieve by hiring you to help them.

For maximum success, here are a couple of sales tips that go with this meeting format:

1. Do not go armed with a long list of questions to ask – you’ll get confused. Just remember the process and let it flow.
2. Make sure you have all of the decision makers in the meeting – you are wasting your time otherwise. If you do not have all of the decision makers in front of you will need to re-book the meeting.
3. It’s a conversation – not an interrogation. Use question softeners before each question.
4. Your tonality will play a part in your success. If you have a weak tone or you mumble then you will not make as many sales.
5. Your enthusiasm is important. Tell the client if they have a good business and make sure you smile.
6. Spend most of your time on the BQs, MQs and PQs
7. Always, always book the next steps – B.A.M.F.A.M
8. Remember to have fun. They can only say no.

A game I play with Accountants is ‘sales rugby’. I gather the Accountants in a circle have one throw the rugby ball to someone who has to pick an objection card from the pack. On one side is the objection – the other the answer. I read the objection and then the Accountant has to answer quickly and succinctly.

Here are 3 great ones which will help you to deal with objections.

Client: How much will this cost?

You: I don’t know yet. I need to go away and think about it. I will come back to you with a detailed implementation plan which will outline some implementation options you could take and each one will have a set fee.

Client: I have no money to pay for it. 

You:That's exactly why you need me/us! I am serious about this (in a serious and authoritative tone)- name. We need to work with you to sort out your profit and cashflow situation. If we do not help you then you will always be in this situation. You will never be able to realise your potential, your family will not be properly supported and any goals or dreams you have can be kissed good bye. You will never succeed. We have currently helped X other clients (assuming you have) with exactly the same thing. An example of that is (cite some examples) and they were in exactly the same situation as you. They now are (give examples). Because a cashflow & profit plan is an ongoing project we can structure the payment arrangements on a monthly basis. And typically the fee we charge you will be funded out of new and additional cashflow. We're good at this sort of work, we've done it before and we love doing it. But before we get into the specifics of how we can help you I want to understand your objectives. Assuming we can help you in this area, and we can, what would you like your business to look like in the next 3-5 years? 

Client: What is your hourly rate for this sort of work?

You:We do not use hourly rates. Our fees are based on our contribution to the value you receive as a result of the project. We will be fairly rewarded for our contribution and you’ll get a tremendous return on your investment.

I have been professionally speaking (getting paid to speak) since 1993 and I have been averaging about 80 presentations per year. I learned a long time ago that you always give 3 speeches, or you give 3 presentations or give 3 meetings.

1. The one you intend on giving
2. The one you actually give
3. The one you should have given that you give to yourself on the way home

Your meetings, presentations or speeches will never be right. Get over yourself and go do some!

About the author:

Rob Nixon is the global leader in helping Accounting firms grow revenue, profit and cashflow. He has been advising Accountants around the world since 1994. He is the founder & CEO of PANALITIX (www.panalitix.com) business advisory software for Accountants. He is the author of ‘Accounting Practices Don’t Add Up’ and his most recent book ‘Remaining Relevant’. You can follow him on Twitter – @therobnixon – follow him on LinkedIn – https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/therobnixon or via his personal blog - www.robnixon.com