You want the deal, ask for it!

Asking Questions - 5 min read 

Jeb Blount is a famous speaker and cold-calling wizard… 

In his book “Objections: The Ultimate Guide for Mastering the Art and Science of Getting Past No” he tells us flatly that… 

“In sales, asking is everything. “ 

Ask your prospects about their kids. 

Ask about their struggles. 

And whatever you do, ask them to do business with you. 

Here’s a novel idea, he suggests: 

You Are Not Getting What You Want Because You Are Not Asking for It 

If you are having a hard time side-stepping the gatekeeper, handling objections, setting the next appointment, getting to decision-makers, or closing the deal… 

it’s not because you lack prospecting skills, closing skills, the right words to say, or brilliant tactics. 

It's because you’re not asking for what you want. 

Listen, I know you know how to sell. 

But, if you’re like me - you feel insecure or aggressive or passive - about asking direct questions. 

You worry you sound slimy or you anticipate the client’s thoughts in your head and are overly concerned with what they might say. 

When you’re in this state of mind, confident and assumptive asking gets replaced with wishing, hoping, and wanting. You hesitate and use passive words. Your tone of voice and body language gives you away. 

You wait for your prospect to do your job for you and set the appointment, set the next step, or close the deal themselves. 

But they don’t. 

Instead, they resist and push back with objections. 

They put you off, brush you off, turn you off, and sometimes steamroll right over you. 

Being passive only makes this easier for them. 

Sadly, there is no silver bullet for overcoming objections. 

Still, salespeople the world over, search in vain for a magic recipe. 

Let’s get something straight from the get-go: these charlatans, most of whom couldn’t sell their way out of changing a dirty diaper, are just dead wrong. 

Here then, are two brutal, and undeniable, truths 

1. The only way to avoid rejection is to never ask for anything ever again. Ever! 
2. To be successful when cold calling (and in sales more broadly), you must ask for what you want. 

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Here are three keys to asking: 

1. Ask with confidence and assume you will get what you want 
2. Shut-up 
3. Be prepared to deal with objections 

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Awesome, now let's try asking better questions - avoid being passive. 

A question can be the most powerful tool in your toolbox when used properly.

It's natural to feel a bit uncomfortable when you first start asking these questions.

Trust me, they aren't so bad, and more importantly, they work!

For a complete list of Jeb's awesome books, visit his page on Amazon or check out his site

https://www.amazon.com/Jeb-Blount/e/B003AR3W0A%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

https://jebblount.com/