A sales meeting with a potential client should certainly not be just a presentation or a salesperson’s monologue. It must be an interactive dialogue during which you discover what the client needs, what problem they are dealing with, and what solution you should ideally offer them. However, questions must be chosen carefully so that they move the negotiation forward and are not counterproductive. In this article, we will present three questions you should never ask a potential client during a business meeting.
„What product are you interested in?“
This question is unnecessary. It assumes that the client knows what their problem is, what the solution is, and therefore what exactly they need. As Forbes states, your role as a salesperson or consultant is to identify the core of the client’s problem, familiarize the customer with the entire issue, and demonstrate that you can successfully solve the problem. Instead, begin by describing a situation in which you helped a client with a similar problem to the satisfaction of everyone involved. The customer will then be able to identify with the given case, allowing you to work with them more effectively.
„What is your budget?“
This question can also be phrased as follows: „How much money are you willing to spend?“ Unfortunately, this inquiry reduces the entire issue solely to the matter of money. As a result, you may easily fall into a “price trap”, where price becomes the client’s only criterion, which is not beneficial for anyone. Instead, focus on ensuring that the client understands the risks and financial losses they may face if they do not resolve their problem effectively. This places the question of the product’s price into a different context.
„Are you looking for something premium, or rather something affordable?“
This question can easily create complications for you. The offer you make to the client should be both exclusive and high quality, while also remaining affordable. If you ask the client the question mentioned above, you indirectly suggest that it is not possible to purchase a high quality product from you at a reasonable price.
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