Chapter 3

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Probing

Most salespeople can find out what the customer wants. It takes a professional to find out the personal motivation the customer has for wanting it in the first place.

By now, you should be committed to working out your opening lines to the point where you feel confident and comfortable using them with customers. While opening the sale is an important step that needs to be rehearsed as often as possible, it still doesn't guarantee you the final sale. . .and the earnings you would like.

You may learn what your customer wants through your opening discussions, but you still may not know why he desires to purchase a particular item. Is it for a special occasion or for a valued employee? Or could it be an item he wants for himself? More often than not, the sale is more complicated than simply determining what a customer wants.

Opening as Many Doors as Possible

By developing the ability to probe and discover why the customer wants a particular item, you can greatly enhance your opportunity to assist the customer. By skillfully determining the underlying reasons for the potential sale, you're also certain to increase the average number of items you can sell to each customer, in a much shorter period of time.

Why is probing, which often causes more grief for salespeople than any other step, so critical? Although we'd all like to believe otherwise, no two customers are exactly the same. It is your job as a salesperson to detect the differences between the customers you serve and to astutely suggest the proper items or alternatives that suit each individual customer.

Suppose two unrelated customers are shopping for new coats. Customer A may be looking for an expensive coat that's appropriate to wear to an upcoming black-tie affair, while Customer B may be looking for one that's inexpensive and comfortable for an upcoming hiking trip.

Both customers are looking for the same thing—a coat; but, clearly, each has a different motive. What would happen if you made the same demonstration to both customers? You'd probably lose one sale, and maybe both. On any given day, the inability to probe loses salespeople thousands of dollars in sales and commissions, even though they may have spent substantial time with each customer.

Anyone can ask, “Are you looking for a coat?” and then take the customer to the coat rack and start demonstrating. It takes a professional to find out the personal reasons the customer is looking for a coat, and to get the customer to feel like his or her needs are being personally met during a demonstration.

Knowledge Is Power

The more you know about your customer, the more you'll be able to help him select merchandise and sell it to him. You'll also be better able to suggest accessories or add-on merchandise that will increase the amount of the sale—and your bank account.

Probing Is More Than Finding Out Why

Finding out why the customer wants an item is not the only goal of probing. Two additional and equally important goals of probing are:

1. To develop an understanding of the customer's wants, needs, and desires.

2. To develop the customer's trust in you.

Understanding

Developing empathy and an understanding of your customer's wants, needs, and desires, or even hopes, dreams, and aspirations, requires effort. You need to develop the skill of asking good questions and digging for facts. If the customer is excited about a special event, you need to capitalize on that excitement to help you make or add on to the sale.

If you were shopping for things to take on the most expensive and exciting vacation you've ever been on, wouldn't you want people to listen to you talk about it? Telling people about your vacation plans is sometimes half the fun! So your goal becomes listening, empathizing, and getting involved with your customer as much as possible. People really like being listened to, don't they?

Trust

Getting your customer to trust you also takes skill and practice. Establishing trust is a subtle skill. You can't do it by making a presentation too fast or grilling the customer. In probing, indeed, the number of questions you ask is not necessarily relevant to developing trust.

Trust is established through the caring tone of your questions and the empathetic support you give to your customer's answers.

Your customer needs to feel that you are genuinely interested in her and in the hopes she has for her purchase. If she doesn't trust you, you are going to have a difficult time trying to sell her anything. Conversely, if you can develop a trusting relationship between you and your customer, chances are she will value your opinion more highly and buy what you recommend. She may even spend more money than she had originally planned on spending.

Developing Your Probing Skills

To figure out the wants, needs, and desires of your customers and to get as many of them as possible to trust you, you need to develop the proper skills. In this chapter, we will discuss three proven methods for understanding your customers' motives and getting them to trust you as a salesperson:

Open-Ended Fact-Finding Questions

Imagine you are on the sales floor with two customers who are each looking for a coat. You may know what differentiates the two customers, but you still don't have all the details. Is Customer A attached to mink? Or will she like different kinds of fur as well? Does she require full-length, or will something shorter be more appropriate?

What about Customer B? What style of coat will she prefer? One with a hood? Or one with lots of pockets for carrying a compass, maps, and other hiking necessities? What color does she like, and what types of climate will she be wearing it in?

You can find out the answers to these questions and more through the use of “open-ended” questions, which necessitate more than a “yes” or “no” answer from your customer.

The English language has blessed us with six magnificent words and one phrase. They are:

1. Who

2. What

3. Where

4. Why

5. When

6. How

7. Tell me

When you start a question with one of these words, or start a sentence with “Tell me,” you are more likely to get a complete answer with lots of extra useful information than if you used a closed-ended question, such as, “Are you. . .,” “Could you. . .,” “Did you. . .,” and so on.

I'm not sure how this happens, but when people get on the selling floor, they have a tendency to guess what the customer wants or give the customer choices, instead of leaving the questions broad and open. For example:

Closed Open
Do you want dressy or casual? What style do you prefer?
Did you like blue or yellow? What color do you want?
Are you sure you like that brand? Why have you chosen that brand?
Do you want one with remote capability? What features are important to you?
Is it a gift, or for you? Who are you shopping for?
Is it for a special occasion? What is the special occasion?
Did you want a collar? What style of collar do you want?
Do you want it lined? What type of lining would you prefer?
Do you want it full-length? What length would you prefer?
Are you looking for something special? What are you looking for?

The point is that with closed questions, you are less likely to get valuable extra information about why the customer wants a particular item. Instead, you get only what she wants.

Here is an interesting question for you. What is the most important thing to you in selecting a new car? Before reading any further, take a moment and answer the question. When I ask this question at seminars, the answers I receive are as varied as:

All those answers give us the personal reasons why each person wants a car. Is it possible that all of the people who responded were looking for the same car? The answer is yes. The problem is making a selling point of speed when the customer is concerned with color, or talking about comfort when the customer is only interested in gas mileage. A good prober is curious about why the customer wants an item and why he is shopping with you. It is extremely important that you keep your personal reasons for liking or disliking a particular item out of consideration. After all, you are there to serve the customer, not to have a forum for your personal opinions.

Just as the doctor asks you questions before prescribing treatment, or a journalist asks questions before an article is written, professional salespeople must have at their disposal the correct questions to open up the customer. Unlike opening, where there are potentially thousands of opening lines, there are a limited number of good probing questions. You will use them over and over. They must be so practiced that you can use them without trying to remember them. Selling on the floor goes too fast for you to try to come up with your next question. It's kind of like seeing a red light and thinking about what to do, instead of putting on the brakes.

Following are some of the best probing questions I've found. Commit them to memory. I have tried to be as generic as I can; however, you may have to supplement the list with some of your own. The asterisks by certain questions indicate that they are favorites of mine that I believe you should pay particular attention to. In fact, you'll use most of them with practically every single customer.

Probing Questions

Who

What

Where

When

How

Tell Me

Why

Using “Tell Me”

“Tell me” is a wonderful way to prompt the customer to tell you his life story as it relates to his purchase. Suppose you say, “Tell me about your backyard.” Of course, there is a benefit if you are selling casual furniture to find out how big the patio is so you can make sure the set you are selling will fit. But more important, it's the extra information you get from the customer at this point that may present you with a greater potential for adding on merchandise or bumping what you have demonstrated to a more elaborate set. For example, you might find out that he is adding on to his deck, and a couple of loungers would be really great to go with the basic table and chairs. Or you might find that a deluxe barbecue or spa is also needed. The possibilities are worth discovering.

Using “Why?”

I left “why?” at the bottom of the list for a reason. Most of the trainers I have come across do not like using “why?” They may believe that it is too personal and may sound too pushy, but nothing could be further from truth. “Why?” is a clarifier and verifier. If a customer comes into a shoe store and asks for thin-soled shoes, how can I serve her best interests if I don't ask her why she likes thin-soled shoes? What if the customer said, “I'll be standing on my feet all day, and I feel I'll be more comfortable with thin-soled shoes. By asking “why?” I clarified the customer's thinking, and I'm better able to serve her. You can soften up the question easily by prefacing it with a phrase like, “You know, I'm curious.. . .” Then, follow up with your “why?” questions. When asked sincerely, the last thing that customer will think is that you're being pushy.

Never Ask the Customer “How Much?”

Have you ever gone into a retail store, fallen in love with something, and spent more money than you had planned? I know I have. In fact, I've made a specialty of it. If that's the case for you, it is probably the case for your customer as well. Your job is to create a desire in your customer and sell him what he really wants. It is not to ask how much the customer wants to spend.

For example, if you ask the customer how much he wants to spend, he might say $500. However, what if you simply show him something for $1,000? Isn't it possible that he would then say that he won't spend a penny over $750? By golly, that's 50 percent more money than the $500 he would have indicated if you had asked him up front. If you do ask, it limits you like crazy. If he says he wants to spend $500 and you show him something for $1,000, you risk being perceived as pushy. And if you were to take a scientific approach to this, you'd find that the law of gravity suggests that it's easier to come down than it is to go up. The truth is, the emptier the customer's pocket in the end, the more full yours will be.

Take Care with the Words You Choose

You will remember from Chapter 1 that salespeople really have to be painters, by using words that express ideas beautifully and clearly. Your words are the difference between sounding like a poet or a truck driver, and subtle choices can make all the difference in the world. For example, you would never use the word buy or need in your probing questions. Replace the word buy with shop, and need with want. For example, instead of saying, “How long have you been looking to buy a sofa?” say, “How long have you been shopping for sofas?” And instead of saying, “When do you need it?” say, “When do you want to start using your new sofa?” Your choice of words can really soften the sound of your questions and even encourage more expressive answers.

Always Be Prepared

I've always thought probing was, in a way, like golf. According to the Professional Golfers Association rules, you're allowed to carry only 14 clubs in your golf bag. Not 15 or 16. A maximum of 14. What percentage of pro golfers carry 14 clubs every single time they are on the course? How about 100 percent? Of course. Why would pros ever put themselves in the position of not having the best possible club for any particular shot? They absolutely wouldn't. The similarity here is that a professional salesperson would never walk onto the selling floor without having all of the possible probing questions available to use. Probing questions are as important to the salesperson as golf clubs are to the golfer.

Developing Trust

There have been a lot of psychologists and big thinkers who have come up with reasons people are motivated to buy—from Maslow and Hertzberg to people with theories on the left brain and the right brain.

I believe that there is merit in any information that will get a better handle on how to communicate with and sell someone. But because retail moves so quickly, and because of the resistant nature of most customers, I believe we should stick to the simple reasons people buy. There are two: trust and value. The customer should trust you and the store and see value in your merchandise. With trust and value established, a sale is imminent. Value will be discussed at length in the demonstration, but for now, let's examine how you can build a trusting relationship with your customer.

People need to be heard and acknowledged. The easiest way to show this premise is to look at a little child tugging on the pant leg of a parent, whimpering or crying or yelling out questions at a mile a minute. The parent, at the same time, is yelling back, “Wait a minute,” or “Be quiet,” or “Not now.” The child just wants to be acknowledged. If the parent were to look the child directly in the eyes, say, “What do you want?” and then get an answer from the child and deal with it one on one, the child would be much more likely to behave, even if it were to just delay the child's immediate request for a moment. Adults are no different.

In the early 1980s, I was working for a client in one of his jewelry stores and overheard a sales presentation. What I heard changed the way I have taught selling forever. Here is part of the dialogue.

After schmoozing a little while, the salesperson asked:

Salesperson: What brings you into our store today?

Customer: I was in Hawaii last week and saw the most beautiful necklace I've seen in a long time.

Salesperson: What type of necklace was it?

Customer: It was a. . .

This dialogue seems simple and logical. After hearing it, I realized why I was different, and maybe why I outsold that salesperson and many others. What was wrong with the presentation? A couple of things:

First, why would the customer have mentioned Hawaii if she weren't proud of the fact that she was there last week? The customer was still on a high from the trip and still telling everyone she met that she was there. The salesperson chose not to hear it or didn't think it was important.

Second, there was no support or acknowledgment of the information the customer was volunteering. If the customer didn't want to talk about Hawaii, she would have said, “I saw a necklace last week, and I wanted to see if you had one just like it.” Let's take a look at how the conversation could have evolved:

Salesperson: What brings you into our store today?

Customer: I was in Hawaii last week and saw the most beautiful necklace I've seen in a long time.

alesperson: Hawaii? That's a wonderful place. What type of necklace was it?

In this example, you see support for the word Hawaii and you begin to see a more personal dialogue building. In Chapter 2, I talked about “hanging out.” Here is a very vital part of your presentation. Let's take a look at where the salesperson should have gone from there.

Salesperson: Hawaii? Wow! What island were you on?

Customer: Maui.

Salesperson: I'm jealous. How long were you able to stay?

Customer: Two weeks.

Salesperson: You're so lucky. Tell me about Maui. I have always wanted to go there.

She will continue to elaborate on the subject of Maui. She may even dance the hula for you. These few seconds, or even minutes, are everything to your presentation. In fact, if you were to take the necessary time in probing and hanging out, your entire presentation time would be cut in half. The time wasted in selling is usually in the demo, or handling objections when you have no relationship or didn't find out what the customer wanted and why. Now, let me ask you a question. Do you think the second dialogue created a warmer and more attentive relationship than the one that got into business so fast?

Put on your inspiration hat for a moment and play along with this game. Here is the setup:

Imagine one of your closest friends, someone you really care about. He happens to be single, and he is not really dating anyone at the present time.

You are sitting in your living room, and there is a knock at the door. You open the door to see your friend standing there. You, of course, invite him in. You then say, “What's happening?” Your friend replies, “I eloped last night!”

If you really want to have some fun, do this with a friend and simulate the situation. When you are done, it may sound something like this:

You: You eloped last night? Are you crazy?

Friend: Maybe, but I did it.

You: Who was it?

Friend: I met her at a party yesterday afternoon and fell in love.

You: You have got to be kidding. What's her name?

Friend: Janet.

You: Wow! I can't believe this! Where did you get married?

What's the moral of this story? If you notice, all the questions were open-ended, and after each answer, there was a supportive response. In real life, people who want to know something naturally talk this way. How is it that it all seems to go away once you set foot on the selling floor? Get curious, get caring, and watch how your customer responds!

QAS

The technique for giving support and hanging out is QAS. It stands for Questions the customer Answers and your Supportive response. I can't think of a better way to develop and enhance a trusting relationship between you and your customer. Let's take a look at a few examples of probing with and without QAS, and then you decide:

Dialogue without QAS

Question: So, what brings you in today?

Answer: I'm looking for a gift for my son.

Question: What's the special occasion?

Answer: It's his 16th birthday.

Question: When is it?

Answer: Next Tuesday.

Question: What have you got planned for him?

Answer: I think it's more appropriate to ask what he's got planned for himself!

Question: What's he got planned?

Answer: He's going out with some of his friends to that new dance place that doesn't serve alcohol.

Question: So, what have you seen before that he'd really like?

Answer: Well, he's really into video games, so I was thinking about getting him a new game. I've seen them advertised a lot lately.

Question: What kind of games does he like the most?

Answer: Oh, it's got to be fast action stuff. I like the strategy and logic ones, but he's got no patience.

Dialogue with QAS

Question: So, what brings you in today?

Answer: I'm looking for a gift for my son.

Support: Well, that's great.

Question: What's the special occasion?

Answer: It's his 16th birthday.

Support: Oh, boy! Sixteen years old. That's an important one. Girls, driver's license, job after school.

Question: When is it?

Answer: It's next Tuesday.

Support: Tuesday! Wow, that's coming up fast.

Question: What have you got planned for him?

Answer: I think it's more appropriate to ask what he's got planned for himself!

Support: Uh-oh. No more birthday parties with the family, huh?

Question: What's he got planned?

Answer: He's going out with some friends to that new dance place that doesn't serve alcohol.

Support: I've heard about that place. I think it's great that there is somewhere for kids to go where you don't have to worry about them getting into trouble.

Question: So, what have you seen before that he'd really like?

Answer: Well, he's really into video games, so I was thinking about getting him a new game. I've seen them advertised a lot lately.

Support: They're great. People of all ages are really getting into them.

Question: What kind of games does he enjoy the most?

Answer: Oh, it's got to be fast action stuff. I like the strategy and logic ones, but he's got no patience.

Support: I know what you mean. My reaction time gets longer every year that I get older.

Logical Sequence

You now have excellent probing questions at your disposal, and you know how valuable supporting the answers to those questions is. Now comes the question, “Which question do I use first or second?” Like golf, you don't want to putt with the driver or drive with the putter. The subject or order is called logical sequence. If you look at a funnel, you will see a large opening at the top, which gradually narrows into a small opening at the bottom. Probing is very much like the funnel. You ask broad-based questions at the beginning and move toward very specific questions later.

Questions should be asked in such a way as to first find out what customers want and move toward finding out why they want it. Then, move toward finding out more specifically which particular item they want. There are also questions that need to be asked in relation to their knowledge of the merchandise and whether they have shopped for this item at other stores. The first three or four questions asked will not only set you up with those answers but give you a clear path for the rest of your presentation. In a way, I feel it is a little like boxing. When an opponent moves this way, you move that way. When he swings here, you respond there, and so on. It is never a matter of thinking; it's a matter of reacting. So it is crucial that you role-play as much as you can. No professional ever practices on the public.

After schmoozing, the first probing question is always “What brings you into our store today?” But where do you go from there?

Question: What brings you into our store today?

Answer: I'm looking for a gift for my husband.

Support: That's very thoughtful of you. It's fun looking for gifts.

What's the next question?

As your mental computer searches through your bank of probing questions, there should be only one logical question to ask next:

Question: What is the special occasion?

The reason is that the more important the occasion, the more important the gift. You wouldn't want to make a $100 sale when, because of the occasion, you could have sold $300 worth of merchandise, would you? Besides, even if it isn't for someone else, and the customer is shopping for herself, asking the question may cause her to tie it to an occasion and still spend more money.

Keep playing:

Question: What is the special occasion?

Answer: It's our 25th wedding anniversary.

Support: Congratulations, what a wonderful accomplishment! It is rare to meet someone who has been married that long.

What is your next question?

The next best question would have to be, “When is your anniversary?” Time is an important factor in selling. Also, the shorter the time, the more expensive the gift. People will be willing to spend more if they don't have to shop any more or if you can solve their problem.

Question: When is your anniversary?

Answer: It's this Saturday.

Support: It sure is coming up fast.

“It sure is coming up fast” should be used as a supportive response on any upcoming event of a year or less. “When is the event?” “Two weeks.” “Boy, that's coming up fast.” This supportive response cites the penalty for not making a decision today. Anything you can do to hurry up the customer's process of making a decision today is high on my list of things that I like a lot.

Keep playing:

Support: It sure is coming up fast.

What's your next question?

Now, you know what the event is, and when. The next thing you need to know is if the customer has been shopping. So the next logical question would be:

Question: What have you seen before that you really liked?

Your customer will give you one of two possible answers:

1. I saw a down the street (or something similar).

OR

2. I haven't looked (or I just started shopping).

In number 1, my question is, why didn't the customer buy at the other store? And I will ask that question. Yes, I actually will ask, “Why didn't you buy it?” It's not too aggressive if you ask with a lot of concern. But I want to know why the customer didn't go for it in the other store, so I make sure it doesn't happen in mine. It's essential. In number 2, you continue the probing process with a question like, “What do you think your husband would like best?” This wording is better than asking what she wants to get him. Put the burden on the recipient, who usually wants a better gift than the giver would have thought of.

Even in the carpet business, the portable spa business, and other apparently nonoccasion businesses, I always follow this sequence. Refer to Figure 3.1 as a guide to logical sequence.

Figure 3.1 Logical Sequence Guide

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Logical Sequence Guide Chart

After asking the key transition question, “What brings you in today?” and while you are still in the opening area of the store, there is a specific list of probing questions that must be asked, in order.

Continue probing, using the list of questions found earlier in this chapter, narrowing your search with more specific questions. You want to discover what your customer wants, then why he wants it, and then more specifically which item he wants. Remember to use the QAS format while probing, to really establish customer trust.

Switching—Or Selling What You Have First!

A common situation that you may encounter is a customer request for a particular brand you do not carry, a particular item that is out of stock, or an item you don't have in the right size. No retail company can maintain stock levels with every item available in every size and at any time. The ability to convert a customer from an item you don't have to one that is in stock is one of the most powerful tools you can develop. In fact, there would probably be little, if any, need for salespeople on the floor if all they had to do was show the items requested. If that were the case, you'd be working in a grocery store. Think about it. No shopper in a grocery store ever walked up to some stock person and asked if she could get bigger peas or carrots that were a little more orange! The only reason salespeople are needed to begin with is that stores generally carry merchandise that not everyone wants!

It is during the probing process that you can best introduce an alternative. Successfully selling an alternative to a customer may get the “right” item into the customer's hands in the first place.

Unfortunately, you will not be able to switch some customers to an alternative, no matter what you do. I remember my niece calling me up one day. Knowing that I had a lot of shoe clients, she asked if I could get her a particular style of Reebok athletic shoes that were in short supply because of their popularity. Here are all the facts: she was 16 years old, very popular, and 400 of her closest friends happened to own those particular Reeboks. Anybody out there want to take a shot at switching her? It would be easier to climb Mt. Everest than to switch her to some other shoe that might satisfy her.

However, some people might say they want Reeboks because they heard it was a good brand, yet not be stuck on any particular style. These people are a lot easier to switch. When a customer suggests that he wants a particular brand that you do not carry, ask the question, “Which model (style, etc.)?” You can discover whether the customer has been looking and is committed to finding the best possible price or if he is open to other possibilities. For that matter, it is an excellent question to ask, even if you do carry the expensive brand requested.

In the event that you do not carry the brand, in order to successfully switch the customer without seeming pushy, there are several steps that you should follow:

1. After finding out what the customer wants, ask why he wants the particular item. Remember, if he mentions a brand or item you don't carry, ask which model and style anyway. Knowing the answer to this question is the key to switching. After the customer answers your question, you must give a supportive response to confirm to the customer that you were listening and that you care. Remember, support builds trust. For example:

Customer: Do you carry Panasony stereo receivers?

Salesperson: That's a great brand. Which model?

Customer: I don't know. I just heard they were good.

Or

Customer: Do you carry Panasony stereo receivers?

Salesperson: That's a great brand. Which model?

Customer: Model 2501.

2. At this point, ask the customer's permission to show an alternative. This will convey a helpful, caring feeling to the customer, rather than a pushy, “I want to sell you something else”–type feeling. As you are asking permission, you want to explain why you don't have the item requested and why you feel you have an alternative the customer might like. I like to blame it on the buyers:

You know, our buyers shop the world every year in order to select the best values possible for our customers. Unfortunately, they haven't selected that brand (or model) this year. However, if you like that brand, I know that I have something that you will absolutely love. May I show it to you?

If the customer agrees to look at the alternative, be sure to point out how it will benefit the customer in the same way as, if not better than, the requested item. In other words, tie your demonstration points to why the customer wanted the requested item.

If your customer declines your offer to show him a similar item, you may be in a difficult position. You may potentially run the risk of being pushy by trying to switch an unwilling customer. But it's difficult not to try to sell something. The relationship that you've built with the customer at this point will be your best clue as to how to proceed.

The following examples illustrate how to politely and effectively switch the customer to an alternative by using these steps.

Scenario A: A customer walks right up to the salesperson upon entering the store. He immediately asks for a brand the store doesn't carry.

Salesperson: Why have you chosen that particular brand of television?

Customer: My friend recommends them. He is really happy with the picture on his.

Salesperson: Yes, they're a terrific unit. You know, our buyers have the opportunity to choose any brand of television available, and they have not selected that particular brand this year. Based on the fact that you're looking for a good picture, we do have another brand that is very similar and also has something extra you might like, too. May I show it to you?

Scenario B: A customer comes in to purchase a piece of crystal that the store has discontinued and that cannot be special-ordered. When she doesn't see it, she asks the salesperson where it is in the store.

Salesperson: Sounds like you've looked at it before. What is it that you like about that line of crystal?

Customer: I just really like the simple, contemporary look.

Salesperson: Yes, they do have wonderful designs. Unfortunately, our buyers have chosen not to carry that line anymore, but you'll be happy to know they replaced it with an equally contemporary line that you may like as well, if not better. May I show it to you?

Scenario C: A customer finds a shirt that he likes and asks to try it on in his size. You discover you are out of that style in his size. You have a possible alternative that you would rather sell before resorting to having a shirt transferred from another store or special-ordering it.

Salesperson: It is a great shirt, isn't it? Unfortunately, we don't have your size in this style in stock. May I ask you a question?

Customer: Sure.

Salesperson: What is it about this shirt that attracted your attention?

Customer: The color looks like it would match a lot of my outfits.

Salesperson: It really is a good, basic color. I have two other shirts that are very similar in color that you might like even more. May I show them to you?

A Special Idea for Salespeople in Home Decorating or Furnishings

After schmoozing and the transition question, “What brings you into our store today?” the first few probing questions used in the logical sequence should be followed. However, the difference is in the way you should probe from this point on.

Get your customer seated. If you can get your customer to sit down at a table with a pad of quarter-inch graph paper and sketch her home, room, or backyard, you will not only get answers to your probing questions but learn a tremendous amount about what your customer has now and her hopes and dreams for the future. We're talking about major purchases here. Taking the time in a comfortable setting to show how much you care will make your customer feel special and more at ease, making it easier for her to talk openly. Remember, while the customer is seated, take advantage of every opportunity to “hang out” and build an even stronger rapport.

All in all, I think you will find probing to be one of the most dynamic steps in all of selling. Not only will it save you tons of time, but it gets you the extra information needed to add on and close the sale.

Hot Tips And Key Insights

  • Anyone can find out what a customer wants, but it takes a sales professional to find out why. Knowing the “why” about a purchase can provide you with powerful ammunition to help you close the sale later on.
  • In determining why, take the time to understand and express your genuine interest in the customer's wants, needs, and desires. Do this by asking as few questions as possible, but as many as it takes to obtain the information necessary to select the right item to demonstrate.
  • No two customers are exactly the same. It is your job as a salesperson to detect the differences between the customers you serve and to astutely suggest the proper alternatives that suit each individual customer.
  • The more you know about your customers, the more you'll be able to help them select merchandise and sell it to them. You'll also be better able to suggest accessories or add-on merchandise that increases the amount of the sale—and your commission.
  • By attempting to build a trusting relationship between you and every customer that walks through the doors of your store, you will not only maximize your sales potential but also develop a large group of devoted customers who will return time and time again to obtain your advice.
  • Getting your customer to trust you also takes practice. You can't do it by grilling the customer for answers; indeed, the number of probing questions you ask is not relevant. Trust is established through the tone of your questions and your empathy with the customer.
  • To eliminate guesswork, ask the customer open-ended questions that begin with who, what, why, where, when, or how.
  • If the setting is conducive, sit down with your customer to prompt conversation. The more comfortable and at ease you are able to make your customer feel, the closer you will be to your customer's inner wants, needs, and desires.
  • Continue to use some of the open-ended questions that you have been rehearsing, but don't bombard your customers with a flurry of questions. You don't want to confuse them and end up jeopardizing a sale.
  • When you effectively use open-ended questions, you help customers clarify their thinking, which allows you to better help them make the purchase that's right for them.
  • Keep open-ended questions in your back pocket for use in any given situation. It's not how many open-ended questions you ask, but how many effective ones you ask.
  • It is a mistake to narrow down the customer's choices before he is ready. Avoid using questions with an “either/or” choice, and don't ask what the customer is willing to spend.
  • Use the QAS formula to build trust with the customer.

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  • While you may not want to become best buddies with all of your customers, it is important to make each of your customers trust you and feel that you understand what they're saying to you.
  • Don't be intimidated by an “educated” customer. Strive to establish enough trust that the customer will allow you to assist her in her purchase.
  • Probing questions are best asked in a logical order. Otherwise, both you and your customer may be so confused that you never get anywhere.
  • You can determine whether the customer will be spending a lot or a little based on the occasion he's buying for. If the special occasion is taking place in the near future, then you can probably start your customer off at a higher price.
  • Abbreviate the probing when your customer knows exactly what she wants.
  • Since every customer who walks into your store is different, treat each one accordingly during the probing process, and do not stop probing until you have a clear mental picture of what your store has that matches what your customer wants.
  • The next time you are out of stock, set up in your mind what you are going to switch your customer to. Blame the store's buying department, but give yourself credit for being wise enough to find something as good or better.
  • Probe until you have exhausted your opportunities to either sell merchandise or win a repeat customer. Use your acting skills, and make it exciting!