Influence Questions
Sales and influence are weird companions, while there is no denying that the role of the sales person is to influence sales and influence the buyer to choose you over the competition. Yet “too much influence” is seen as terrible by some, and depending on the execution, could well be. As with many things which depend on the shortcomings of the English language for clarity, (excellent luck), the actual outcome and experience comes down to the intent of the seller, and how they go about exerting their influence.
When faced a number of equal options for shoes, Helen turn to her friend for help in making a choice, and her friend helps her choose. The CFO of a company looking for a new A/R application turns to his counterpart at one of his trusted customers, who points out the benefits of the hosted application they use, and persuades him to meet with his company rep. These are clear, innocuous, and dare I say, acceptable examples of influence.
Getting further in to the grey, another form of professional influence is represented by lobbyists. Depending on which side of the issue you are on, a lobbyist can be a heroic advocate of your cause, or the devil incarnate if the lobbyist influences legislation that has a negative impact on you or you cause. Taken too far, you enter the realm of “influence peddling”, is seen by most as either illegal or unwanted practice.
Another dilemma or high wire act sales professional have to deal with and master. How do you do your job to the max, while not appearing to have crossed the line into the unfair or improper? The solution is to avoid exerting what can be perceived as direct undue influence, but without sacrificing your ultimate objective and the reason you were hired by your current employer, to make and maximize sales, is to get the buyer to arrive on their own to the conclusion you want them to reach. The question is how? And so is the answer.
That was not an attempt to be cryptic, questions, specifically, “impact questions”. These questions need to beyond the usual sales fare. They need to be the questions that the buyer is asking surrounded by but has lack the strength to question out loud. The questions that bring to the surface all the buyer unspoken aspirations or fears. Please notice, aspirations get equal billing to fears, because it is not always about pain or dread, success and achievement is just a fantastic a motivator; while it is right that people act to mitigate risk, business people also are investors by nature, so a compelling ROI will ignite action just as well. So one business to remember is who you question an impact question does make a difference, or maybe more correctly requires a uncommon “impact question”.
By asking “impact questions” you achieve two things. First is entrust, the right “impact question” shows the buyer that you know their circumstance, the challenges, and apprehensions related to them. When you get direct, go past the surface issues, direct and as uncomfortable as it may seem, you signal to the buyer that you not only know the full scope of their situation, are willing to work through it, but that you have a viable solution, not so much from a features benefit standpoint, but the underlying business drivers. Your questions will get the prospect to commence to reckon out loud about the issues, and in the process, make them feel comfortable in discussing their deep concerns, which helps to build entrust.
As this entrust builds, prospects tend to open up more, and look to you for input, to bounce thoughts, or make lawful their thinking. In the process, this opens the door for you to have greater influence. Influence does not have to be subtle, but it does need to align with the buyer’s objectives and benefit.