Chapter 4. Communication Skills

What should Erin do?

(A) Continue selling based on her experience and obvious superior knowledge of what prospects need. (B) Use the selling process she is comfortable with and simply call on more prospects to increase her sales performance. (C) Learn to use effective questions to engage prospects; actively listen to gain understanding of prospect's actual needs; and develop unique solutions based on prospect's specific needs.

Exhibit 4.4: Activation Questions

Activation questions are used to show the impact of a problem, uncovered through discovery questions, on the customer's entire operation. The objective is to "activate" the customer's interest in solving the problem by helping him or her to gain insight into the true ramifications of the problem and realize that what might seem to be of little consequence is, in fact, of significant consequence. Examples: 1. Question—What effect does your supplier's late delivery have on your operation? Answer—It slows production.... Operating costs go up. 2. Question—If production drops off, how are your operating costs affected, and how does that affect your customers? Answer—Customer orders are delayed.... Potential to lose customers. Activation questions show the negative impact of a problem so that finding a solution to that problem is desirable. Now, the salesperson can help the customer to discover the positive impact of solving the problems by using projection questions.

4-4. ADAPT Questioning System

As Figure 4.1 illustrates, the ADAPT questioning system uses a logic-based funneling sequence of questions, beginning with broad and generalized inquiries designed to identify and assess the buyer's situation. Based on information gained in this first phase, further questions are generated to probe and discover more details regarding the needs and expectations of the buyer. In turn, the resulting information is incorporated in further collaborative discussion in a way that activates the buyer's motivation to implement a solution and further establishes the buyer's perceived value of a possible solution. The last phase of ADAPT questioning transitions to the buyer's commitment to learn about the proposed solution and grants the salesperson permission to move forward into the presentation and demonstration of the sales offering. ADAPT is an acronym for the five stages of strategic questioning and represents what the salesperson should be doing at each stage: assessment questions, discovery questions, activation questions, projection questions, and transition questions.* -Assessment questions. This initial phase of questioning is designed to be nonthreatening and to spark conversation that elicits factual information about the customer's current situation that can provide a basis for further exploration and probing. As illustrated in Exhibit 4.2, assessment questions do not seek conclusions—rather, at a macro or 40,000-foot level of focus, these questions should address the buyer's company and operation, goals and objectives, market trends and customers, current suppliers, and even the buyer as an individual. The information sought should augment or confirm precall research. Examples would include "What is the current level of your production?" "How long has the current equipment been in place?" "How many suppliers are currently being used?" "What are the growth objectives of the company?" and "What individuals have input into purchase decisions?" -Discovery questions. As portrayed in Exhibit 4.3, these questions follow up on the responses gained from the preceding assessment questions. At a more micro and ground-level focus, discovery questions should drill down and probe for further details needed to fully develop, clarify, and understand the nature of the buyer's problems. Facts as well as the buyer's interpretations, perceptions, feelings, and opinions are sought in regard to the buyer's needs, wants, dissatisfactions, and expectations relevant to product, delivery requirements, budget and financing issues, and desired service levels. The goal is to discover needs and dissatisfactions that the salesperson's sales offering can resolve. Examples of discovery questions might include "How often do these equipment failures occur?" "How well are your current suppliers performing?" "What disadvantages do you see in the current process?" "How satisfied are you with the quality of components you are currently purchasing?" and "How difficult are these for your operators to use?" -Activation questions. The implied or suggested needs gained from discovery questions are not usually sufficient to gain the sale. Often, a buyer will believe that a particular problem does not cause any significant negative consequences. Hence, the motivation to solve the problem will carry a low priority. Successful salespeople help the customer realistically evaluate the full impact of the implied need through the use of activation questions. As detailed in Exhibit 4.4, the objective is to "activate" the customer's interest in solving discovered problems by helping him or her gain insight into the true ramifications of the problem and to realize that what may initially seem to be of little consequence is, in fact, of significant consequence. Examples include "What effects do these equipment breakdowns have on your business operations?" "To what extent are these increases in overtime expenses affecting profitability?" "How will the supplier's inability to deliver on time affect your planned expansion?" and "When components fail in the field, how does that failure influence customer satisfaction and repurchase?" -Projection questions. As a natural extension of the activation questions, projection questions encourage and facilitate the buyer in "projecting" what it would be like without the problems that have been previously "discovered" and "activated." The use of good projection questions accomplishes several positive outcomes. First, the focus is switched from problems and their associated consequences to the upside—the benefits to be derived from solving the problems. What were initially perceived as costs and expenses are now logically structured as benefits to the buyer and his or her organization—the payoff for taking action and investing in a solution. Second—and equally important—the benefit payoff allows the buyer to establish the realistic value of implementing a solution. In this manner, the benefit payoff is perceived as a positive value received and serves as the foundation for demonstrating what the solution is worth—what the buyer would be willing to pay. As illustrated in Exhibit 4.5, projection questions encourage the buyer to think about how and why he or she should go about resolving a problem. In essence, projection questions assist the buyer in selling himself or herself by establishing the worth of the proposed solution. The customer, rather than the salesperson, establishes the benefits of solving the problem. This reinforces the importance of solving the problem and reduces the number of objections that might be raised. Examples of projection questions include "If a supplier was never late with a delivery, what effects would that have on your overall operation?" "What would be the impact on profitability if you did not have problems with limited plant capacity and the resulting overtime expenses?" "How would a system that your operators found easier to use affect your business operations?" and "If component failures were minimized, what impact would the resulting improvement in customer satisfaction have on financial performance?" -Transition questions. Transition questions are used to smooth the transition from needs discovery into the presentation and demonstration of the proposed solution's features and benefits. As exemplified in Exhibit 4.6, transition questions are typically closed-end and evaluative in format. These questions confirm the buyer's desire to seek a solution and give their consent to the salesperson to move forward with the selling process. Examples include "So, having suppliers that are consistently on time is important to you—if I could show you how our company ensures on-time delivery, would you be interested?" "It seems that increasing capacity is a key to reducing overtime and increasing profitability—would you be interested in a way to increase capacity by 20 percent through a simple addition to your production process?" and "Would you be interested in a system that is easier for your operators to use?"

4-2b. Closed-End Questions

Closed-end questions are designed to limit the customers' response to one or two words. This type of question is typically used to confirm or clarify information gleaned from previous responses to open-end questions. Although the most common form is the yes/no question, closed-end questions come in many forms—provided the response is limited to one or two words. Common closed-end questions include: -Do you ...? -Are you ...? -How many ...? -How often ...?

Exhibit 4.8.: Common Nonverbal Clusters

Cluster Name Cluster Meaning Body Posture and Orientation Movement of Hands, Arms, and Legs Eyes and Facial Expressions Openness Openness, flexibility, and sincerity Moving closer Leaning forward Open hands Removing coat Unbutton collar Uncrossed arms and legs Slight smile Good eye contact Defensiveness Defensiveness, skepticism, and apprehension Rigid body Crossed arms and legs Clenched fists Minimal eye contact Glancing sideways Pursed lips Evaluation Evaluation and consideration of message Leaning forward Hand on cheek Stroking chin Chin in palm of hand Tilted head Dropping glasses to tip of nose Deception Dishonesty and secretiveness Patterns of rocking Fidgeting with objects Increased leg movements Increased eye movement Frequent gazes elsewhere Forced smile Readiness Dedication or commitment Sitting forward Hands on hips Legs uncrossed Feet flat on floor Increased eye contact Boredom Lack of interest and impatience Head in palm of hands Slouching Drumming fingers Swinging a foot Brushing and picking at items Tapping feet Poor eye contact Glancing at watch Blank stares

Using Different Types of listening

Communications research identifies two primary categories of listening: social and serious.* Social listening is an informal mode of listening that can be associated with day-to-day conversation and entertainment. Social listening is characterized by low levels of cognitive activity and concentration and is typically used in conversation with a friend or a store clerk or listening to music, a concert, a television program, or even a play. The received messages are taken at face value and do not require a high degree of concentration or thinking to sort through, interpret, and understand. However, serious listening is associated with events or topics in which it is important to sort through, interpret, understand, and respond to received messages. The serious form of listening is often referred to as active listening, as it requires high levels of concentration and cognition about the messages being received. Concentration is required to break through the distractions and other interference to facilitate receiving and remembering specific messages. Cognition is used to sort through and select the meaningful relevant messages and interpret them for meaning, information, and response.

4-2c. Dichotomous/Multiple-Choice Questions

Dichotomous questions and multiple-choice questions are directive forms of questioning. This type of question asks a customer to choose from two or more options and is used in selling to discover customer preferences and move the purchase decision process forward. An example of this form of question would be: "Which do you prefer, the or the ?"

Exhibit 4.3: Discovery Questions

Discovery questions are used to uncover problems or dissatisfactions the customer is experiencing that the salesperson's product or company may be able to solve. Basically, these questions are used to "distill" or "boil down" the information gained from the preceding assessment questions and from precall research into suggested needs. Examples: 1. Question—I understand you prefer a JIT relationship with your suppliers—how have they been performing? Answer—Pretty well ... an occasional late delivery ... but pretty well. 2. Question—How do you feel about your current supplier occasionally being late with deliveries? Answer—It is a real problem ... for instance ... The suggested needs gained from discovery questions are used as a foundation for the rest of the sales call. Yet, a suggested need is usually not sufficient to close the sale. Often, a customer will believe that a particular problem does not cause any significant negative consequences. If this is the case, finding a solution to the problem will be a very low priority. The professional salesperson must then help the customer reevaluate the impact of the suggested need by asking activation questions.

4-7i. Intensity and Loudness

Dominance, superiority, intensity, and aggression are commonly associated with loud voices, whereas soft voices characterize submission and uncertainty. However, it is the variability of intensity that has been found to be most effective in communication. Varying levels of loudness allow the sender to adapt to different situations and environments. Variation also increases the receiver's attention and can provide additional information inputs by accenting key points of a message.

4-3. Strategic Application of Questioning in Trust-Based Selling

Effective questioning skills are indispensable in selling and are used to address critical issues throughout all stages of the selling process. In practice, salespeople combine the different types of questions discussed earlier to accomplish multiple and closely related sales objectives: -Generate buyer involvement. Rather than the salesperson dominating the conversation and interaction, purposeful and planned questions are used to encourage prospective buyers to participate actively in a two-way collaborative discussion. -Provoke thinking. Innovative and effective solutions require cognitive efforts and contributions from each participant. Strategic questions stimulate buyers and salespeople to think thoroughly and pragmatically about and consider all aspects of a given situation. -Gather information. Good questions result from advance planning and should be directed toward gathering the information required to fill in the gap between "What do we need to know?" and "What do we already know?" -Clarification and emphasis. Rather than assuming that the salesperson understands what a buyer has said, questions can be used to clarify meaning further and to emphasize the important points within a buyer-seller exchange further. -Show interest. In response to statements from buyers, salespeople ask related questions and paraphrase what the buyer has said to demonstrate their interest in and understanding of what the buyer is saying. -Gain confirmation. The use of simple and direct questions allow salespeople to check back with the prospective buyer to confirm the buyer's understanding or agreement and gain his or her commitment to move forward. -Advance the sale. Effective questions are applied in a fashion that guides and moves the selling process forward in a logical progression from initiation through needs development and through needs resolution and follow-up. With the aim of simultaneously targeting and achieving each of these objectives, several systems have been developed to guide salespeople in properly developing and using effective questions. Two of the more prominent questioning systems are SPIN and ADAPT. Both of these systems use a logical sequencing—a sort of funneling effect—that begins with broad-based, nonthreatening, general questions. Questioning progressively proceeds through more narrowly focused questions designed to clarify the buyer's needs and to propel the selling process logically toward the presentation and demonstration of solution features and benefits.

An Ethical Dilemma

Erin Sutton is an account manager for a large, Dallas-based manufacturer of printing equipment and supplies. Erin feels that her 12 years of experience in the printing industry provide her with a level of expertise and knowledge much greater than most of the prospective buyers with whom she works. This, combined with her unbridled impatience, often results in Erin interrupting buyers' statements, finishing their thoughts for them, and assuming she understands the buyers' needs better than the buyer does. Rather than allow-ing the buyer to fully describe what is going on and the nature of the buying organization's problems and needs, Erin often seems to be telling the buyer what his or her organization should be purchasing and using—solutions that have a closer correspondence with products Erin needs to sell rather than the customer's actual needs. Erin continues to sell products. However, her customer retention level is below average and her sales revenues have peaked out. Erin recognizes something is wrong and is seeking to adopt a new and more effective selling process. She has recently completed a trust-based selling program and is contemplating changing the way she sells in order to enhance her selling performance.

4-2e. Evaluative Questions

Evaluative questions use open- and closed-end questions to confirm and uncover attitudes, opinions, and preferences the prospect holds. These questions are designed to go beyond generalized fact finding and uncover prospects' perceptions and feelings regarding existing and desired circumstances and potential solutions. Exemplary evaluative questions include "How do you feel about ?" "Do you see the merits of ?" and "What do you think ?"

4-7d. Body Posture and Orientation

Fidgeting and shifting from side to side is generally considered to be a negative message associated with nervousness and apprehension. Leaning forward or sitting forward on the edge of a chair is a general sign of increasing interest and a positive disposition in regard to what is being discussed. Similarly, leaning away can indicate disinterest, boredom, or even distrust. Leaning back with both hands placed behind one's head signifies a perceived sense of smugness and superiority. A rigid erect posture can convey inflexibility or even defensiveness, whereas sloppy posture suggests disinterest in the topic. Similar to sitting backward in a chair, sitting on the edge of the table or the arm of a chair is an expression of power and superiority.

4-6a. Impact of Grammar and Logical Sequencing

Grammar and logical sequencing are also important in the process of giving information to others. The use of proper grammar is a given in business and social communication. In its absence, the receiver of the message tends to exhibit three closely related behaviors. First, the meaning and credibility of the message are significantly downgraded. Second, the receiver begins to focus on the sender rather than the message, which materially reduces the probability of effective communication. Last, the receiver dismisses the sender and the sender's organization as being unqualified to perform the role of an effective supplier and partner. The importance of proper grammar should not be overlooked. Similarly, whether one is engaged in simply explaining details or making a formal proposal, logical sequencing of the material is critical. The facts and details must be organized and connected in a logical order. This is essential to clarity and assists the receiver in following the facts. A discussion or presentation that jumps around runs the risk of being inefficient and ineffective. At best, the receiver will have to ask many clarification questions. At worst, the receiver will dismiss the salesperson as incompetent and close off the sales negotiation. Advance planning and preparation can improve organization. Outline what needs to be covered and organize it into a logical flow. The outline becomes the agenda to be covered and can serve as an aid for staying on track.

4-7b. Eye Movements

In North America and Western Europe, avoiding eye contact results in a negative message and is often associated with deceit and dishonesty. However, a sender's increased eye contact infers honesty and self-confidence. Increased eye contact by the receiver of the message signals increasing levels of interest and concentration. However, when eye contact becomes a stare and continues unbroken, either by glances away or blinking, it is typically interpreted as a threat or inference of power. A blank stare or eye contact directed away from the conversation can show disinterest and boredom. Repeated glances made toward one's watch or possibly an exit door often indicate that the conversation is about to end.

4-5. Active Listening

In a selling context, active listening is defined as "the cognitive process of actively sensing, interpreting, evaluating, and responding to the verbal and nonverbal messages of current or potential customers."* This definition is very useful to those wishing to master active listening skills. First, it underscores the importance of receiving and interpreting both verbal and nonverbal cues and messages to better determine the full and correct meaning of the message. Second, it incorporates a well-accepted model of listening. As illustrated in Figure 4.3,* the SIER model depicts active listening as a hierarchical, four-step sequence of sensing, interpreting, evaluating, and responding.* Effective active listening requires each of these four hierarchical process activities to be carried out successfully and in proper succession. Sensing. Listening is much more than simply hearing. Nevertheless, the first activities in active listening are sensing (i.e., hearing and seeing) and receiving (i.e., paying attention to) the verbal and nonverbal components of the message being sent. Sensing does not occur without practice and should not be taken for granted. In fact, research indicates that most of us listen at only 25 percent of our capacity. Think about yourself. How often have you had to ask someone to repeat what he or she said or perhaps assumed you knew what the sender was going to say before he or she could say it? Increased concentration and attention can improve sensing effectiveness. Taking notes, making eye contact with the sender, and not interrupting can improve sensing skills. Let the sender finish and provide the full content of the message. This not only improves the concentration of the receiver, but also encourages the sender to provide more information and detail. -Interpreting. After the message is received, it must be correctly interpreted. Interpreting addresses the question of "What meaning does the sender intend?" Both content and context are important. That is, in addition to the semantic meaning of the words and symbols, we must consider the experiences, knowledge, and attitudes of the sender to understand fully what was meant. Hold back the temptation to evaluate the message until the sender is through speaking. Note the nonverbal and verbal cues along with possible consistencies and inconsistencies between them. Incorporate knowledge of the sender's background and previous relevant statements and positions into the message interpretation. -Evaluating. Active listening requires the receiver to decide whether he or she agrees with the sender's message. The results from the interpretation stage are evaluated to sort fact from opinion and emotion. Too often, receivers complete this activity prior to receiving the full message, and on hearing something with which they disagree, the sender is effectively tuned out. As a result, communication is stifled. Evaluating can be improved through better concentration and thoughtful consideration of the full message. Summarizing the key points as if they were going to be reported to others can further enhance evaluation skills. Searching for areas of interest rather than prejudging the message can also facilitate the evaluation process. -Responding. Responding is both an expectation and a requirement for active listening to be effective. Collaborative, two-way communication requires that the listener respond to the sender. Responses provide feedback to the other party, emphasize understanding, encourage further elaboration, and can serve as a beginning point for the receiver to transition into the role of sender for the next message sent. Responses can take many forms. Nonverbal cues such as nodding and smiling can indicate that the sender's message was received. Responses in the form of restating and paraphrasing the sender's message can provide strong signals of interest and understanding. Asking questions can elicit additional details and clarification. The SIER model provides a useful framework for evaluating communication accuracy and pinpointing the sources of problems. Similarly, it can be effectively used for planning activities and behaviors designed to improve communication effectiveness. As the SIER model depicts, active listening is a hierarchical and sequential process. One must sense the message before it can be interpreted. In turn, the message must be interpreted before it can be evaluated. Finally, it must be effectively evaluated prior to generating a proper response. When diagnosing a listening breakdown, one should look for the lowest level in the hierarchy where the breakdown could have originated and take proper action to remedy the problem. Exhibit 4.7 * describes 10 specific keys to effective listening that can be used in conjunction with the SIER model to pinpoint and improve listening problems.

Introduction

It is all too common for salespeople to get so excited about meeting a buyer and making a sales presentation that they don't allow the prospect to get involved. For a positive sales outcome, it's imperative to first build the feelings of mutual respect and trust that comes from rapport between the prospect and salesperson—to demonstrate that both parties are working together to solve a problem. Karen Tang, head of sales, customer success, and support for Prezi—the highly successful, cloud-based presentation software company—emphasizes the importance of interactive, two-way communication for success in the trust-based selling process.* Tang explains that prior to ever calling on a prospect, salespeople should invest time in developing a sales script to guide and help to keep the conversation on track and on time. A top-notch sales script has to be customized for the individual prospect and selling situation in order to engage the prospect rather than annoying them. A good script will both develop and guide the sales representative through a natural, two-way conversation and help them discover the true nature of the prospect's pain. Do your research and gather background information on the prospect and their industry. Has the company been in the news? What are the pain points they are experiencing? What is the state of their business sector? Study up on the jargon and acronyms relevant to their industry and incorporate those into your sales script. Recent research indicates that only 13 percent of buyers believe a salesperson understands their situation and needs. Customizing the sales script by incorporating their jargon and industry-specific language not only makes the prospect more comfortable, but also demonstrates you are knowledgeable about their industry and generates credibility in the eyes of the prospect. Above all, Tang emphasizes the importance of having a two-way dialogue focused on the prospect rather than endlessly pushing your product. "Your audience is busy, so they want to know why you and your product are relevant to their lives in the first few minutes of your call, or you will lose their attention. Instead of giving a monologue or lecture, ask authentic questions and start a dialogue to find out what your prospects care about most while you you're giving the talk, and then adjust your content on the fly." The need to build mutual respect and trust through interactive, two-way communication, as discussed by Karen Tang in this chapter's introduction, emphasizes the critical and high-magnitude impact effective interpersonal communication has on selling success in today's business landscape. On the one hand, selling is basically interpersonal communication. The skill and effectiveness of a salesperson's interpersonal communication are fundamental determinants of selling performance. Nevertheless, effective communication continues to be one of the least understood and understudied skills for successful selling. This chapter addresses the need to better understand and master the art of collaborative, two-way communication. First, we will examine the basic nature of trust-based sales communication. Building on this preliminary understanding, the authors have divided the content on trust-based sales communication into its component and subcomponent parts to facilitate study, application, and mastery. The verbal dimension of communication is examined first with an emphasis on three communication subcomponents: (1) developing effective questioning methods for use in uncovering and diagnosing buyers' needs and expectations, (2) using active listening skills to facilitate the interchange of ideas and information, and (3) maximizing the responsive dissemination of information to buyers in a way that fully explains and brings to life the benefits of proposed solutions. Finally, the nonverbal dimension of interpersonal communication is examined with an emphasis on its application and meaningful interpretation.

4-4a. Verbal Communication: Listening

Listening is the other half of effective questioning. Asking the customer for information is of little value if the salesperson does not listen. Effective listening is rated among the most critical skills for successful selling. Yet, most of us share the common problem of being a lot better at sending messages than receiving them. Considerable research identifies effective listening as the number-one weakness of salespeople.* Poor listening skills have been identified as one of the primary causes of salesperson failure.* To get the information needed to best serve, identify, and respond to needs, and nurture a collaborative buyer-seller relationship, salespeople must be able to listen to and understand what was said and what was meant. Nevertheless, situations similar to the one depicted in "An Ethical Dilemma" are all too common. As Figure 4.2 illustrates, effective listening can be broken down into six primary facets: 1. Pay attention—Listen to understand, not to reply. Resist the urge to interrupt and receive the full message the buyer is communicating. 2. Monitor nonverbals—Make effective eye contact and check to see if the buyer's body language and speech patterns match what is being said. 3. Paraphrase and repeat—Confirm your correct understanding of what the buyer is saying by paraphrasing and repeating what you have heard. 4. Make no assumptions—Ask questions to clarify the meaning of what the buyer is communicating. 5. Encourage the buyer to talk—Encourage the flow of information by giving positive feedback and help the buyer stay on track by asking purposeful, related questions. 6. Visualize—Maximize your attention and comprehension by thinking about and visualizing what the buyer is saying. The practiced listening skills of high-performance salespeople enable them to pick up, sort out, and interpret a greater number of buyers' verbal and nonverbal messages than lower-performing salespeople can. In addition to gaining information and understanding critical to the relational selling process, a salesperson's good listening behaviors provide the added benefits of positively influencing the formation and continuation of buyer-seller relationships. A salesperson's effective use and demonstration of good listening skills is positively associated with the customer's trust in the salesperson and the anticipation of having future interactions with the salesperson.* Clearly, effective listening is a critical component in trust-based, relational selling, and success requires continuous practice and improvement of our listening skills.

From the Classroom to the Field: Using Buyer Use-Experiences and Success Stories for Effective Insight Selling

Michael Medwed graduated from Illinois State University in 2015 and is a Technical Sales Representative for Saint-Gobain North America, a world leader in high-quality industrial and construction products and solutions. Based in Nashville, Michael has primary responsibility for sales and market development of industrial abrasives solutions in the industrial manufacturing sector. Michael discusses how his learning experiences in his sales classes have helped him earn customer trust and build important relationships through presenting unique solutions and providing added value to the customer. "Production engineers and quality managers—the folks who influence and make the purchase decisions—are very cautious about making changes to anything within their manufacturing processes. After all, the current process is working, and even the slightest change carries the probability for somehow altering the final product. Now add this to the situation—while industrial abrasives are a critical element in many manufacturing processes, the abrasive products themselves only account for around 2 to 3 percent of the total manufacturing cost. Putting all this together, I learned very quickly that industrial abrasives have a long selling cycle, require a high level of trust and relationship development, and have to provide a bigger impact and value than what could be possible solely within the 2-3 percent of total cost influenced by abrasives' cost alone. This combination definitely makes for a complex, total-solutions-selling situation. The reality that I am a 24-year-old, new salesperson entering into a sales dialogue with engineers and production managers having over 30 years of experience makes sales calls even more challenging." "My professional sales classes provided me with the ability and self-confidence to be successful in this selling environment. Actively listening to the buyer and engaging them in the sales dialogue in a way that focuses on the power of ideas and opportunities—rather than just selling my product—has been very productive in closing that experience gap and building my credibility as a trusted resource for the buyer. Recognizing the power of selling insights and offering new perspectives, Saint-Gobain developed and maintains a tremendous database of customer experiences incorporating insightful details related to product use across all types of applications and situations. I regularly pull information from the database that allows the buyer to learn from a real customer who had a similar manufacturing challenge, how we assisted them in a solution, and documenting the positive results. The success stories I build help the buyer walk in the shoes of another customer who has already solved the problem—to see what is possible and to believe in the solution. Selling through success stories allows me to focus on ideas and opportunities important for the buyer and positions me as a trusted advisor rather than a traditional salesperson. A position that places my company and products in first place compared to the competition."

Technology in Selling: Developing Account and Territory Action-Plans with Salesforce.com

Morgan Rabas, a 2016 graduate of Illinois State University, is a Territory Manager for Michelin North America. As a Richmond, VA, based manufacturer's representative for Michelin's Truck Tire Division, Morgan is responsible for territory development and support of dealer and end-user accounts across the semi-truck, construction, and heavy equipment tire categories. During a recent conversation, Morgan explained how she uses technology to more effectively manage individual accounts and target her selling activities in a manner that maximizes both sales performance and account relationships. Her use of technology is clearly working, as Morgan has exceeded her sales numbers for each of the previous three quarters and is a candidate being considered for Rookie of the Year. "With its emphasis on trust-based selling, the Illinois State selling program did a terrific job preparing me to be successful in Michelin's solutions-selling model and customer-oriented selling culture. Those diverse learning experiences provided me with the skills, abilities, and—most importantly—the self-confidence to work with and further develop the accounts in my territory. With a territory comprised of 150 plus accounts—including 75 major key accounts—across multiple business sectors, my challenge was keeping up with and effectively using all the industry and account-level data Michelin provides to its sales representatives." "After considerable evaluation of leading CRM systems, Michelin selected Salesforce.com to become its enterprise-wide data platform for acquiring and organizing customer data in a manner that enables sales representatives to provide enhanced levels of support to each individual account. Well along in the three-year roll out of the system, I have immediate access to a complete catalogue of communication from and with individual accounts; automatic reminders to follow up on specific activities and engagements; and even coordinate sales team actions with Michelin representatives in other sales districts and territories where my accounts have overlapping operations. Nothing falls through the cracks! The system also provides call reports along with on-demand information about account purchasing patterns and trends. I recently used the purchase information to develop second quarter targeted selling opportunities for individual accounts. This same real-time information was then used to track progress toward achieving those opportunities through the period and to better inform my sales call plans and account communication. In a nutshell, the data inform me who is buying and who is not—it tells me where I need to be and prioritizes my selling time by individual account."

4-1. Sales Communication as a Collaborative Process

Neither people nor organizations buy products. Rather, they seek out the satisfaction and benefits that certain product features provide. Although traditional selling has been described as "talking at the customer," trust-based selling has been referred to as "talking with the customer." Trust-based sales communication is a two-way and naturally collaborative interaction that allows buyers and sellers alike to develop a better understanding of the need situation and work together to generate the best response for solving the customer's needs. Although trust-based selling has become the preeminent model for contemporary selling, Michael Medwed's experiences discussed in "From the Classroom to the Field" illustrates that effectively engaging the buyer in collaborative conversations takes some thought and planning. Trust-based sales communication is the sharing of meaning between buying and selling individuals that results from the interactive process of exchanging information and ideas. It is important to note that the purpose of sales communication is not agreement but rather the maximization of common understanding among participants. With this emphasis on establishing understanding, communication is fundamental throughout each stage of the selling process. Effective communication skills are needed to identify buying needs and to demonstrate to buyers how a salesperson's proposed solution can satisfy those needs better than competitors. The critical capabilities for effective selling include questioning, listening, giving information, nonverbal communication, and written communication skills. Although each of these skills is pervasive in everyday life, they are literally the heart and soul of the interpersonal exchange that characterizes trust-based selling.

4-7. Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal behaviors have been recognized as an important dimension of communication since medieval times. As early as 1605, Francis Bacon focused on the messages conveyed by manual language. Verbal communication deals with the semantic meaning of the message itself, whereas the nonverbal dimension consists of the more abstract message conveyed by how the message is delivered. Nonverbal communication is the conscious and unconscious reactions, movements, and utterances that people use in addition to the words and symbols associated with language. This dimension of communication includes eye movements and facial expressions; placement and movements of hands, arms, head, and legs as well as body orientation; the amount of space maintained between individuals; and variations in vocal characteristics. Collectively, the various forms of nonverbal communication carry subtle as well as explicit meanings and feelings along with the linguistic message and are frequently more informative than the verbal content of a message.* Research indicates that highly successful salespeople are capable of picking out and comprehending a higher number of behavioral cues from buyers than less successful salespeople are able to sense and interpret. In addition, research indicates that 50 percent or more of the meaning conveyed within the communication process stems from nonverbal behavior.* As the nonverbal components of a message carry as much or more meaning than the language portions, it is critical for salespeople to sense effectively, interpret accurately, and evaluate fully the nonverbal elements of a message as well as the verbal components. In addition to sensing verbal messages, learn to sense between the words for the thoughts and feelings not being conveyed verbally.

4-7j. Using Nonverbal Clusters

Nonverbal clusters are groups of related expressions, gestures, and movements. Similar to a one-word expression, a single isolated gesture or movement should not be taken as a reliable indication of the true intent or meaning of a message. Sensing and interpreting groups or clusters of nonverbal cues provides a more reliable indicator of the message and intent. When the individual behaviors and gestures begin to fit together, they form a common and unified message that the salesperson should consider. Common nonverbal clusters applicable to selling communication are described in Exhibit 4.8.* Just as salespeople can interpret nonverbal messages to better interpret and understand communication with prospects and buyers, those same prospects and buyers can also sense and interpret the nonverbal messages the salesperson is sending. Consequently, it is important that salespeople monitor the nonverbal cues they are sending to ensure consistency with and reinforcement of the intended message.

4-7f. Variations in Vocal Characteristics

Nonverbal vocal characteristics such as speaking rates, pause duration, pitch or frequency, and intensity have been linked to communication effectiveness and selling performance. These voice characteristics convey direct as well as subtle and implied meanings and feelings that can complement or accent the corresponding verbal message.

4-2. Types of Questions Classified by Amount and Specificity of Information Desired 4-2a.Open-End Questions

Open-end questions, also called nondirective questions, are designed to let the customer respond freely. That is, the customer is not limited to one- or two-word answers, but is encouraged to disclose personal and/or business information. Open-end questions encourage buyers' thought processes and deliver richer and more expansive information than closed-end questions. Consequently, these questions are typically used to probe for descriptive information that allows the salesperson to better understand the specific needs and expectations of the customer. The secret to using open-end questions successfully lies in the first word used to form the question. Words often used to begin open-end questions include what, how, where, when, tell, describe, and why. Examples of open-end questions include: -What happens when ...? -How do you feel ...? -Describe the....

4-7a. Facial Expressions

Possibly reflecting its central point of focus in interpersonal communication, the various elements of the face play a key role in giving off nonverbal messages. Frowning, pursed lips, and squinted eyes are common in moments of uncertainty, disagreement, and even outright skepticism. Suspicion and anger are typically accompanied by tightness along the jaw line. Smiles are indicative of agreement and interest, whereas biting of one's lip can signal uncertainty. Raised eyebrows can signify surprise and are often found in moments of consideration and evaluation.

Types of Questions Classified by Strategic Purpose 4-2d.Probing Questions

Probing questions are designed to penetrate below generalized or superficial information to elicit more articulate and precise details for use in needs discovery and solution identification. Rather than interrogating a buyer, probing questions are best used in a conversational style: (1) request clarification ("Can you share with me an example of that?" "How long has this been a problem?"), (2) encourage elaboration ("How are you dealing with that situation now?" "What is your experience with ?"), and (3) verify information and responses ("That is interesting; could you tell me more?" "So, if I understand correctly, . Is that right?").

Exhibit4.5.Projection Questions

Projection questions help the customer "project" what life would be like without the problems or dissatisfactions uncovered through activation questions. This helps the customer see value in finding solutions to the problems developed earlier in the sales call. Examples: 1. Question—If a supplier was never late with a delivery, what effects would that have on your JIT operating structure? Answer—It would run smoother and at a lower cost. 2. Question—If a supplier helped you meet the expectations of your customers, what impact would that have on your business? Answer—Increased customer satisfaction would mean more business. These questions are used to let the customer tell the salesperson the benefits of solving the problem. By doing so, the customer is reinforcing in his or her mind the importance of solving the problem and reducing the number of objections that might be raised.

4-7e. Proxemics

Proxemics refers to the personal distance that individuals prefer to keep between themselves and other individuals and is an important element of nonverbal communication. The distance that one places between oneself and others implies a meaningful message and affects the outcome of the selling process. If a salesperson pushes too close to a prospect who requires more distance, the prospect may perceive the salesperson to be manipulative, intimidating, and possibly threatening. However, salespeople who put too much distance between themselves and the customer risk being perceived as rigidly formal, aloof, or even apprehensive. Proxemics differs across cultures and regions of the world. For example, in North Africa and Latin America business is conducted at a much closer distance than in North America. As depicted in Figure 4.4, North Americans generally recognize four distinct proxemic zones. The intimate zone is reserved for intimate relationships with immediate family and loved ones. The personal zone is for personal relationships with close friends and associates. The social zone is for business client relationships and is the zone in which most business is conducted. The public zone is for the general public and group settings such as classrooms and presentations. It is critical that salespeople understand proxemics and monitor the progression of their buyer-seller relationships so as to position themselves with different customers properly. Typically, salespeople begin working with a prospect at the far end of the social zone. As the salesperson-buyer relationship develops, the salesperson is in a position to move closer without violating the customer's space and causing him or her to become defensive.

4-2g. Reactive Questions

Reactive questions are questions that refer to or directly result from information the other party previously provided. Reactive questions are used to elicit additional information, explore for further detail, and keep the flow of information going. Illustrative reactive questions are "You mentioned that . Can you give me an example of what you mean?" and "That is interesting. Can you tell me how it happened?" These different groupings of question types are not mutually exclusive. As depicted in the guidelines for combining question types in Exhibit 4.1, effective questions integrate elements from different question types. For example, "How do you feel about the current trend of sales in the industry?" is open-end (classified by format) and evaluative (classified by purpose) in nature. Regardless of the types of questions one might combine in a sales dialogue, the natural tendency is to overuse closed-end questions. Monitor the types of questions you ask over the next several hours and see if you share the tendency to use more closed-end than open-end questions. It is not uncommon to find salespeople using an average of ten closed-end questions for every open-end question used in a sales conversation. This overuse of closed-end questions is dangerous in selling. The discovery and exploration of customer needs are fundamental to trust-based selling, and discovery and exploration are best done with open-end questions. As previously discussed, closed-end questions certainly have their place in selling, but they are best used for clarification and confirmation, not discovery and exploration. An additional issue in overusing closed-end questions is that when they are used in a sequence, the resulting communication takes on the demeanor of interrogation rather than conversation.

4-7c. Placement and Movements of Hands, Arms, Head, and Legs

Smooth and gradual movements denote calm and confidence, whereas jerky and hurried movements are associated with nervousness and stress. Uncrossed arms and legs signal openness, confidence, and cooperation. However, crossed arms and legs psychologically close out the other party and express disagreement and defensiveness. Increased movement of the head and limbs hints at increasing tension, as does the tight clasping of hands or fists. The placement of a hand on the chin or a tilted head suggests increased levels of evaluation, whereas nodding of the head expresses agreement. Growing impatience is associated with drumming of the fingers or tapping of a foot. The fingering of one's hair and rubbing the back of the neck signifies increasing nervousness and apprehension.

Selling in Action: Funneling Sequence of Questions is Key for Understanding Buyer's Needs

Steve O'Connor, district sales representative for Edward Don & Company—the leading distributor of food-service equipment and supplies in the United States, emphasizes the importance of using a funneling sequence of open-ended questions to drill down and fully understand a prospective customer's problems and needs before starting to pitch products. "At Edward Don, our annual sales plan calls for 20% of our business during the year to come from new accounts. Needless to say, strategic prospecting is very important in reaching that objective. When meeting with a prospect, it is also very important to use a funneling sequence of questions to drill down and develop an in-depth understanding of the prospect's situation, challenges, and needs, which we can address with added-value solutions unique to Edward Don. I consistently use the ADAPT Question Sequence I learned to use as a student in Illinois State University's professional selling classes. Using this sequence of questions allows me to engage the prospect in a comfortable discussion of their business situation, goals, strategic plans, and challenges. This collaborative conversation leads to follow-up questions that begin to identify unmet needs and problems and activate the prospect's interest and desire to resolve the problems in a way that significantly benefits their business. The natural outcome of the funneling questions is the opportunity to present my solutions to their problems and unmet needs, close the sale on an initial order, and establish a solid foundation for a buyer-seller relationship where I am a trusted advisor assisting them in meeting challenges and achieving their business goals. It is just a natural way to work with customers."

Exhibit 4.1.: Guidelines for Combining Types of Questions

Strategic Objective or Purpose of Questioning Explore and Dig for Details Gain Confirmation and Discover Attitudes/Opinions Change Topics or Re-direct Buyer's Attention Follow-up Previously Elicited Statements Amount and Specificity of Information Desired Discussion and Interpretation Open-end questions designed to be Probing in nature Open-end questions designed to be Evaluative in nature Open-end questions designed to be Tactical in nature Open-end questions designed to be Reactive in nature Confirmation and Agreement Closed-end questions designed to be Probing in nature Closed-end questions designed to be Evaluative in nature Closed-end questions designed to be Tactical in nature Closed-end questions designed to be Reactive in nature Choosing from Alternatives Dichotomous or Multiple-choice questions designed to be Probing in nature Dichotomous or Multiple-choice questions designed to be Evaluative in nature Dichotomous or Multiple-choice questions designed to be Tactical in nature Dichotomous or Multiple-choice questions designed to be Reactive in nature

4-6. Understanding the Superiority of Pictures Over Words

Studies in cognitive psychology have found that pictures tend to be more memorable than their verbal counterparts.* The fact that pictures enhance understanding and are more easily recalled than abstract words and symbols has several implications for effective selling. -The verbal message should be constructed in a manner that generates a mental picture in the receiver's mind. For example, the phrase "Tropicana juices are bursting with flavor" is more visual than the more abstract version "Tropicana juices have more flavor." This can also be accomplished by providing a short and illustrative analogy or illustrative story to emphasize a key point and bring it alive in the buyer's mind. -Rather than using abstract words that convey only a broad general understanding, use words and phrases that convey concrete and detailed meaning. Concrete expressions provide the receiver with greater information and are less likely to be misunderstood than their abstract counterparts. For example, "This Web transfer system will increase weekly production by 2,100 units" provides more detail than "This Web transfer system will increase production by 10 percent." Similarly, "This conveyor is faster than your existing system" does not deliver the same impact as "This conveyor system will move your product from production to shipping at 50 feet per second as compared with your current system's 20 feet per second." -Integrate relevant visual sales aids into verbal communication. Sales support materials that explain and reinforce the verbal message will aid the receiver's understanding and enhance recall of the message. an additional benefit, sales aids such as samples, brochures, graphs, and comparative charts can be left with the buyer to continue selling until the salesperson's next call on the buyer.

4-2f. Tactical Questions

Tactical questions are used to shift or redirect the topic of discussion when the discussion gets off course or when a line of questioning proves to be of little interest or value. For example, the salesperson might be exploring the chances of plant expansion only to find that the prospect cannot provide that type of proprietary information at this early stage of the buyer-seller relationship. To avoid either embarrassing the prospect or himself/herself by proceeding on a forbidden or nonproductive line of questioning, the seller uses a tactical question designed to change topics. An example of such a tactical question might be expressed as "Earlier you mentioned that . Could you tell me more about how that might affect ?"

Exhibit 4.7: Ten Keys to Effective Listening

The Key Practice The Weak Listener The Strong Listener 1. Find areas of interest Tunes out dry subjects Actively looks for opportunities of common interest 2. Judge content, not delivery Tunes out if the delivery is poor Skips over delivery errors and focuses on content 3. Hold your fire until full consideration Evaluates and enters argument prior to completion of message Does not judge or evaluate until message is complete 4. Listen for ideas Listens for facts Listens for central themes 5. Be flexible Takes intensive and detailed notes Takes fewer notes and limits theme to central theme and key ideas presented 6. Work at listening Shows no energy output; attention is faked Works hard at attending the message and exhibits active body state 7. Resist distractions Is distracted easily Resists distractions and knows how to concentrate 8. Exercise your mind Resists difficult expository material in favor of light recreational materials Uses complex and heavy material as exercise for the mind 9. Keep an open mind Reacts to emotional words Interprets color words but does not get hung up on them 10. Capitalize on the fact that thought is faster than speech Tends to daydream with slow speakers Challenges, anticipates, mentally summarizes, weighs evidence, and listens between the lines

4-3a. SPIN Questioning System

The SPIN system sequences four types of questions designed to uncover a buyer's current situation and inherent problems, enhance the buyer's understanding of the consequences and implications of those problems, and lead to the proposed solution.* SPIN is actually an acronym for the four types of questions making up the multiple question sequence: situation questions, problem questions, implication questions, and need-payoff questions. -Situation questions. This type of question solicits data and facts in the form of general background information and descriptions of the buyer's existing situation. Situation questions are used early in the sales call and provide salespeople with leads to develop the buyer's needs and expectations fully. Situation questions might include "Who are your current suppliers?" "Do you typically purchase or lease?" and "Who is involved in purchasing decisions?" Situation questions are essential, but they should be used in moderation as too many general fact-finding questions can bore the buyer. Further, their interrogating nature can result in irritated buyers. -Problem questions. Problem questions follow the more general situation questions to probe further for specific difficulties, developing problems, and areas of dissatisfaction that might be positively addressed by the salesperson's proposed sales offering. Some examples of problem questions include "How critical is this component for your production?" "What kinds of problems have you encountered with your current suppliers?" and "What types of reliability problems do you experience with your current system?" Problem questions actively involve the buyer and can assist him or her in better understanding his or her own problems and needs. Nevertheless, inexperienced and unsuccessful salespeople generally do not ask enough problem questions. -Implication questions. Implication questions follow and relate to the information flowing from problem questions. Their purpose is to assist the buyer in thinking about the potential consequences of the problem and understand the urgency of resolving the problem in a way that motivates him or her to seek a solution. Typical implication questions might include "How does this affect profitability?" "What impact does the slow response of your current supplier have on the productivity of your operation?" "How would a faster piece of equipment improve productivity and profits?" and "What happens when the supplier is late with a shipment?" Although implication questions are closely linked to success in selling, even experienced salespeople rarely use them effectively. -Need-payoff questions. Based on the implications of a problem, salespeople use need-payoff questions to propose a solution and develop commitment from the buyer. These questions refocus the buyer's attention to solutions rather than problems and get the buyer to think about the positive benefits derived from solving the problems. Examples of need-payoff questions are "Would more frequent deliveries allow you to increase productivity?" "If we could provide you with increased reliability, would you be interested?" "If we could improve the quality of your purchased components, how would that help you?" and "Would you be interested in increasing productivity by 15 percent?" Top salespeople effectively incorporate a higher number of need-payoff questions into sales calls than do less successful salespeople.

4-1a. Verbal Communication: Questioning

There are two ways to dominate or control a selling conversation. A salesperson can talk all the time, or the salesperson can maintain a more subtle level of control by asking well-thought-out questions that guide the discussion and engage the customer. Salespeople should think like doctors—they ask relevant questions to methodically diagnose the situation and problems before presenting solutions. To present a cure to a patient before understanding the problem would be malpractice. In a similar fashion, salespeople must be masters at thinking through what they need to know, planning the questions they need to ask, and then asking those diagnostic questions in a sequential manner that builds understanding of the situation for themselves as well as for the customer. They should know exactly what information they require and which type of questions are best suited for eliciting that information from a prospective buyer. Purposeful, carefully crafted questions can encourage thoughtful responses from a buyer and provide richly detailed information about the buyer's current situation, needs, and expectations. This additional detail and understanding is often as meaningful for the buyer as it is for the salesperson. That is, proper questioning can facilitate both the buyer's and seller's understanding of a problem and its possible solutions. For example, questions can encourage meaningful feedback regarding the buyer's attitude and the logical progression through the purchase decision process. Questioning also shows interest in the buyer and his or her needs and actively involves the buyer in the selling process. Questions can also be used tactically to redirect, regain, or hold the buyer's attention should it begin to wander during the conversation. In a similar fashion, questions can provide a convenient and subtle transition to a different topic of discussion and provide a logical guide promoting sequential thought and decision making. Questions are typed by the results they are designed to accomplish. Does the salesperson wish to receive a free flow of thoughts and ideas or a simple yes/no confirmation? Is the salesperson seeking a general description of the overall situation or specific details regarding emergent needs or problematic experiences with current suppliers? To be effective, a salesperson must understand which type of question will best accomplish his or her desired outcome. In this manner, questions can be typed into two basic categories: (1) amount of information and level of specificity desired and (2) strategic purpose or intent.

Exhibit 4.2: Assessment Questions

These questions are designed to elicit factual information about the customer's current situation. These questions do not seek conclusions; rather, they seek information that describes the customer and his or her business environment. The information sought should augment or confirm precall research. Examples: 1. Question—"What types of operating arrangements do you have with your suppliers?" Answer—We use a Just-in-Time (JIT) system with our main suppliers. 2. Question—"Who is involved in the purchase decision-making process?" Answer—I make the decisions regarding supplies.... Assessment questions are generally open end; however, closed-end questions are used when seeking confirmation or basic descriptive information. For example, "So, you currently work with 10 different suppliers?" or "How many years have you been in business?" Assessment questions are necessary for drawing out information early in the sales cycle.

Exhibit 4.6.: Transition Questions

Transition questions are simple closed-end questions that confirm the customer's desire to solve the problem(s) uncovered through the previous questions. Examples: 1. Question—So, having a supplier who is never late with deliveries is important to you? Answer—Yes, it is. 2. Question—If I can show you how our company ensures on-time delivery, would you be interested in exploring how it could work for your organization? Answer—Yes, if I am convinced your company can guarantee on-time delivery. The primary function of these questions is to make the transition from need confirmation into the sales presentation. In addition, these questions can lead to a customer commitment, provided the salesperson adequately presents how his or her company can solve the customer's problems.

4-5a. Verbal Communication: Giving Information

Verbal information refers to statements of fact, opinion, and attitude that are encoded in the form of words, pictures, and numbers in such a way that they convey meaning to a receiver. However, many words and symbols mean different things to different people. Different industries, different cultures, and different types of training or work experience can result in the same word or phrase having multiple interpretations. For instance, to a design or production engineer, the word quality might mean "manufactured within design tolerance." However, to a customer it might be translated as "meeting or exceeding expectations." To maximize clarity and minimize misunderstandings, understand and use the vocabulary and terminology that corresponds with the perspective of the customer.

4-7h. Pitch or Frequency

Vocal pitch carries a great deal of information to the receiver. Varying pitch and frequency during the course of a message encourages attentiveness of the listener and accents certain forms of statements. A rising pitch during the message is associated with questions and can often be perceived as reflecting uncertainty. Just the opposite, a falling pitch is associated with declarative statements and completion of the message. Overall, high-pitched voices are judged as less truthful, less emphatic, less potent, and more nervous. Lower-pitched voices are considered more persuasive and truthful and have a positive impact on selling performance.

4-7g. Speaking Rates and Pause Duration

Within normal speaking rates, faster speakers are generally evaluated more favorably than slower speakers. Contrary to the often-cited fast-talking salesperson being perceived as high pressure, faster rates of speech and shorter pause duration are actually associated with higher levels of intelligence, credibility, and knowledge. Slower speakers are perceived as being less competent as well as less benevolent. However, speech rates that are jerky and beyond normal rates of speech can present problems in sensing and interpreting the complete message. Varying the rate of speech has also been found to be conducive to maintaining interest.