How do you coach your salespeople to have fun selling?
People can learn to ask open-ended questions. I do a great exercise with salespeople called “What’s in my pocket?” One of my best staff members, Stephen Pead, taught it to me.
You secretly put something unusual in your pocket during a training session. Be careful not to choose objects that are too easy to guess, like keys or a handkerchief. Instead, pocket something slightly out of the ordinary, like a wedding ring or a bottle top.
What’s an Open Question?
The setup clearly explains the difference between open and closed questions. Available questions invite discussion, while closed questions usually elicit a “no” answer.
The team is instructed to ask ten closed questions first to identify what’s in your pocket. You can only answer “yes” or “no” as a trainer. The team never guesses it this way.
Open questions are the next part of the exercise. Have the trainees ask ten available questions to ascertain the treasure you have hidden away.
What’s a Closed Question?
An example of a closed question might be, “What do you have in your pocket? Is it useful?”
The answer is either “Yes, it is useful” or “No, it is not useful.” That response doesn’t get you a lot of information.
An open question might be, “What can you do with the object?”
You can answer these questions any way you like. The salespeople usually get it right within five or six questions.
The answer to this type of question will give you more to go on. Just switching up a few words makes all the difference. Constructing good questions pays off, but people are reluctant to take the time to develop them.
Asking open questions might make some folks feel stupid, weak, or uncertain. My challenge to any salesperson is to assume leadership by asking the right questions.
Model it for your staff. Take the time to train your sales team. Your team must understand that the client is not always ready to buy.
Sometimes you have to have a conversation to get them alongside. Salespeople need to know—and practice— the difference between open and closed questions long before the customer walks in the door.
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