| The Most Dangerous Word in Sales:
Why?
80% of selling happens at the subconscious or subliminal level. It is amazing how this word impacts our thought processes. It generates a complex thread of thoughts and behavior - and we don't even realize it! The best way to use this word is to NOT use it!
Whenever we are asked a "why" question, our first reaction is to defend whatever the question addresses. We learn this from childhood, don't we? An adult asked us why we did something and our answers were usually:
- "Everybody else was doing it"
- "[NAME] made me do it."
- "I don't know"
Sound familiar? It will sound even more familiar if you ask your customer a "why" question. Their response will probably be a variation of one the answers above!
For instance, ask your prospect why they are buying from the competition instead of you. How will they answer?
- "They're the industry leader" (everyone else is buying from them)
- "Our company policy. . . " (made me do it)
- "I'm not really sure"
Change Your Why Questions
The easiest way is, of course, the one I use. Whenever a "why" question seems to be needed, reword it to a "how" question.
Instead of
"Why did you decide to buy from the competition?"
Use
"How did you make the decision to buy from them?"
See how it works?
An Even Better Way
An even more effective way to reword that question is:
"How was the decision made to buy from them?"
The critical difference is that we remove the personal pronoun. "Why" questions are naturally accusative and they elicit a defensive response. Rewording the question to a "how" question helps but the customer may still sense the "why" behind the question. So, take them out of the conversation by removing the "you"
Use It Today
Begin now to discipline yourself to remove this dangerous word from your vocabulary. Whenever you need anything from the client - use how
- In your pre-call planing, remove all "why" questions.
- Whenever you think of a "why" question, immediately try to rephrase it as a"how" question.
An Exception to the Rule
It's still dangerous, but consider asking a why question when the customer's defensive response work for you.
Example: "Why would your company want to switch to our company?" Or, "Why has your company bought from us exclusively for the past few years?"
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| Coming Next Issue
Three Ways To Lose Your Customer With Your Opening Question
The opening question may not be what you think it is. It is one of the most critical aspects of sales. There are three factors that can cause your opening question to be the reason why you lose the sale.
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overcome the price objection.
