Sales Quiz: Which Question Do You Ask First?
SCENARIO: You're cold calling a fully qualified lead. You want to start the conversation out on the right foot, so (after introducing yourself) you ask a question. Which question is most likely to move the conversation forward? Vote in the poll below, then click on the link to get the correct answer.
Click HERE for the best answer
RELATED POSTS:
The correct answer is: Have I caught you in the middle of something?
This question will always get one of the following three responses:
- "It's always a bad time, but what's this all about?"
Your response: Explain why you've called. - "No this is not a bad time, what can I do for you?"
Your response: Explain why you've called. - "I'm right in the middle of something and can't talk."
Your response: "When's a better time to call?"
So, worst case, you end up with some kind of informal invitation to continue the conversation.
By contrast, the other two questions are very weak
- How are you feeling today? This question is intrusive and overly friendly. It's inappropriate for an initial business contact and comes off being oily and insincere. In fact, it's a classic cold-calling error.
- Are you interested in saving your firm some money? Sure you may have something to sell that saves money, but the question is so trite and "salesy" that most prospects are just going to hang up.
NOTE: I discuss cold calling in more detail in the "Sales Machine Book", which is now available for pre-sale here.