It’s smart to begin any conversation, any communication by getting into a positive state.
If you want a person to feel relaxed and at ease, make sure YOU feel relaxed and at ease.
It’s important to be really curious and interested in the person you are communicating with.

The most powerful message you can give someone is:
“I am genuinely interested in you!”
And the quickest way to get your ideas across is to mean it.
When you mean it, you come across congruently, and the communication will flow effortlessly.

Here we we’ll discuss how to ask the right questions to establish the need.

Begin to probe asking questions using a methodical, analytical, yet friendly approach.

Pay strict attention to the business language of the industry concerned.
Make sure the prospective client knows you are familiar, comfortable and knowledgeable with their industry.

You need to know the pain they are experiencing:

Who are they?
What are they frustrated about?
What worries them?
What are their irrational fears?
How much pain is there and what is their urgency?

Get inside the head of your prospect – switch off your own concerns and think and feel like your prospective client.

To do this, you’ve got to OBSERVE and LISTEN!

Match and mirror them, of course. Detect and enter the conversation that’s taking place inside their head.

Ask: What thoughts or ideas do you have about your immediate challenges?
What feelings?
What opinions?
What reasons?

Get them to explain:
What?
How?
What methods do you use?

For what purpose do you want this?
What would it be worth to you once this is solved?

Ask incisive questions with a direction in mind.
Move the prospect to the ideal, perfect place.
A place where they are open, trusting and receptive to you.
Be attentive.

If you can describe their problem better than they can, they will automatically regard you as an authority on the subject and credit you with having the solution they need.

You need to be the “What to do” and “How to get it done” person.

MAKE YOURSELF the “What to do” and “How to get it done” person.

For more tailored questions look under Sales Training & Coaching.
Make every effort to get with the decision maker.
Avoid wasting time with people who do not have the authority to make a decision.

When you are with the decision maker get in rapport and uncover their internal representation of success.
How will the decision be made?
Find out.

You can ask:
“Can you remember a time when you were really decisive?” and get their decision-making strategy.
Use the appropriate words to gather how they make important decisions.

Elicit their motivation, decision-making, and reassurance strategies.

Elicit their values.
What do they value most of all?
Once you know their strategies, fire them back.
You will be able to use all this information during your conversation.
Again refer to other parts of my website for more information on how to do this.

Clearly, once you have established rapport, asked questions, and know their strategies, you should quickly move on to establish their need.

Focus on the pain they have and what it is they will value once a solution is found.
Get to know what they are frustrated about and the extent of the pain and the urgency of their need.
Focus 80% of your time on the 20% of people who are prepared to buy from you.
You want high quality clients, not people who waste your time.

Do not be afraid of receiving a “no”.
Avoid tip toeing around this.
A maybe is worse that a “no!”

Try a conditional close as soon as you can.

“If we solve this problem, that would be valuable, wouldn’t it?”
“If I can show you how to get superior results, would it be of interest to you?”
“If I could show you how to double your profit in 90 days, would that be of value to you?” Be prepared to go for the close.

Try it on!
Always attempt to find a quick solution, build value, and use the conditional close.
If they put you off at any point, they are not a client for you.
Move on!