Jill Konrath | Selling to Big Companies

Great Networking Questions

Some people just seem to be right at home when they're at a networking function. They chat effortlessly with strangers and create new relationships with ease. Not me. Much as I'd like to see myself as suave and debonair, I'm really a bit of an introvert. I've had to learn these social graces.

Over the years, I discovered that asking questions is the key to success in these people-filled situations. That's right. A good question opens up even the quietest person. You learn so much about who they are, what they do and what's important to them. Plus all the pressure you feel to "perform" or sound "intelligent" totally dissipates since the other person is doing all the talking.

Recently Bob Burg, author of "Endless Referrals," sent me a list of questions you can use to establish great rapport with someone you've just met. He's graciously given me permission to publish them here:

10 "Feel-Good" Questions

1. How did you get your start in this business?
2. What do you enjoy most about what you do?
3. What separates your company from your competition?
4. What advice would you give someone just getting started in your business?
5. What one thing would you do with your business if you knew you couldn't fail?
6. Over the years, what significant changes have you seen take place in your profession?
7. What do you see as the coming trends in your business?
8. Describe the strangest (or funniest) incident you've ever experienced in your business.
9. What ways have you found to be most effective for promoting your business?
10. What one sentence would you like people to use in describing the way you do business?

And, according to Bob Burg, the one key question that sets you apart from everyone else is, "How can I know if someone I'm talking to would be a good prospect for you?" (Ask this one ONLY after you've been talking for awhile and established some rapport.)

Great questions, if you ask me! While they keep the focus on business, they also give you an opportunity to learn so much. Next time you head off to a networking event, review these questions ahead of time so you won't forget them. Bob says you'll never have enough time to ask all ten questions - that two or maybe three of them should be enough to get a good conversation started.

Believe it or not, I used to write down the questions I wanted to ask before I went to the event. I was that nervous. And, I can assure you that being prepared takes the worry away. People respond to you differently. They feel so "comfortable" around you; they like you. It makes a huge difference in how you feel and the success of your networking.

Now go get 'em!

(For more info on Bob Burg, check out his website at: http://www.burg.com )

Help! I'm new in sales.

Question: I've just started selling and really want to do well. My company is small and doesn't have a training program. Where do you suggest I start? How can I get better without spending a lot of money?

Answer: Small companies rarely have the financial resources to train their salespeople. Instead, they hope a truly talented person joins their staff and saves them from worrying about where the revenue will come from. But sales miracles rarely occur.

If you happen to be the new seller, you likely receive little direction beyond comments such as:
- Go get 'em!
- Make lots of calls.
- Bring us in for the close.

That kind of support is essentially worthless. It's given by people who think that sales is all about strong product knowledge, motivation, aggressiveness, enthusiasm and schmoozing.

They're wrong! It takes lots of knowledge and skill to be tops in this field. Here are 3 no-cost, low cost things you can do to help you become a top sales professional.

The Invisible Sales Coach

Today my friend told me she’s found a new way to handle the challenging personal issues she’s facing in her life. When I asked her what it was, she said, “I just ask myself, ‘What would Jill do in this situation?’ And I use that as my guide.”

I was, to say the least, rather surprised but when we talked further, I remembered using that very same strategy myself when I first started selling.

I didn’t have a clue what it took to be successful. For my first few months in the business, I trained under Jim Farrell. He was a top-notch sales rep, masterful in his dealings with people and so very savvy. I was in awe.

When I finally got my own territory, I was scared – really scared. Now I had to do it on my own and I was no Jim Farrell. I didn’t have a clue how to handle the variety of situations I’d soon be encountering. And I certainly couldn’t sell.

I remember sitting in my car one day, trying to get up the gumption to make some cold calls. My mind was creating all sorts of tough sales scenarios: “What if the customer asked me about the new system and I didn’t know the answer? What if they said they weren’t interested? What if, what if, what if….”

Then it hit me. I may not know how to respond, but Jim Farrell did. By thinking about how he’d react and using that as my guide, I could figure out what to do – even when I was meeting with customers. Amazingly enough, it worked until I developed the self-confidence and skills to handle these situations on my own.

Many years later, I read that Hilary Clinton used the very same process when she became First Lady. She had no idea how to handle her new role, so she used Eleanor Roosevelt as her touchstone.

So if you’re ever stumped in your sales efforts, consider finding yourself an invisible sales coaching mentor. You’ll be amazed at what a difference it can make.

Welcome

Welcome to the new Selling to Big Companies blog - where you'll find lots of great information to help you increase sales to large corporate accounts.