Elevator Questions

[tconnor]

Sales Advice #216
Elevator Questions

What are elevator questions? Let me ask you a question - If you were told by a prospect that you had sixty seconds to sell them what would you do? Would you condense your sales message into a one minute presentation or talk about your organization and its strengths and history?

Would you ask a few thought provoking questions or sit or stand their dumbfounded wondering what to do or what to say next?

I recently met a prospect on an elevator in a hotel in Las Vegas at a speaking engagement. He looked like he was a business type person so I asked him, "What do you do for a living?" He responded I am in the insurance industry." My follow-up question was, "What do you do in the insurance business?" He said he was the president. (Keep in mind, I don't have a lot of time here, we are on an elevator.

My follow-up question was, "Do you know what your lost sales are costing you every year?" (Elevator Question)

He responded with a pause then, “I am not sure, what do you do for a living?"

I said, "I am in the business of helping organizations reduce their lost sales revenue." (Elevator Statement)

Needless to say we continued the discussion in the lobby of the hotel and we left that initial meeting with an exchange of business cards and a commitment to discuss his challenges and my services later in the week by phone.

An elevator question is any question that cuts to the heart of your prospect's challenges, concerns or fears and makes them think. It also implies that you or your organization may have a possible solution for his or her problems.

Elevator questions are designed to encourage more dialog between you and your prospect. At this point you are not selling, you are probing. Remember there is a time to sell and there is a time to prospect. While on an elevator this is not the time to sell. However, based on the other person's response and emotional reaction to your question you will begin to determine whether this prospect is worth of more of your time, energy and resources in the future.

I am constantly amazed at salespeople who jump too quickly from the probing and qualifying phase of the sales process to the presentation phase – discussing features and benefits. And, then they surprised that they are not closing more sales.

In the profession of medicine we call a diagnosis with out proper information - malpractice. In selling you may not get sued but you will certainly blow another sale.

If you can master the skill of elevator questions you will be astonished at the results you will achieve with them.

Remember that elevator questions are not used only on elevators. They can be used at social settings, while selling on the telephone or anywhere during the sales process.

All of the great salespeople I have ever met or had the privilege of having them in my audiences were masters at elevator questions.

How about you? Do you have any? Do you use them regularly? Do they need to be re-designed? Do they work?