Technology Selling Issues
26.08.2013 212153

Technology Selling Issues

There is nothing worse than meeting the buyer with the words “Hello, can I help you with something?”, Because the seller works in the store just to help. Criticizing this well-established pattern of communication with the buyer, Andrei Chirkarev, business coach for effective sales and the founder of the New Economy project, shares the technology of truly selling issues with readers of Shoes Report.

Technology for sales issues was invented by Neil Rackham, a researcher in sales and marketing issues. He noted that successful sellers in the negotiation process ask a lot more questions than unsuccessful, and their questions are arranged in a certain sequence. Neil systematized selling questions and called the resulting system SPIN-sales technology, taking the first letter of each group of questions as the basis of the name. Andrei Chirkarev talks about how to apply this method in retail.

The scenario of questions that lead to a successful sale can be roughly divided into four groups. The first group is situational questions aimed at determining the needs and preferences of the client. The second group of questions is problematic, which the seller asks the client in order to identify the main difficulties and problems of the buyer with the shoes. The third group is extractive questions: their main goal is to extract the problem outward, make the client think about it, reducing his emotional state. Finally, the final group of questions is positive. They push the shopper to acknowledge what kind of footwear they are looking for and indirectly increase their emotional state by helping to imagine how the shopper's life will change after buying such shoes. The presentation of the product should be arranged only after communication with the buyer on the fourth group of questions, because it is at this moment that it turns out to be especially relevant, and, therefore, successful. Let's take a closer look at each of the groups of selling questions.

Group One, situational issues

Begin communication with the buyer should be with situational issues. They will help to identify the needs and preferences of the client, and at the same time allow the buyer to get used to the fact that the seller is set up for active communication. However, it is very important not to “go too far” with the number of questions, because as soon as there are too many of them, the client loses interest and ceases to understand why so much information is pulled from him. Two or three questions - the optimal amount. They can be like this:

· Are you looking for something specific?

What shoes do you like?

· What clothes do you choose shoes for?

Try to ask questions that will give a clear idea of ​​what the client usually wears, where and how often he puts on such shoes. If the buyer begins to voice some problems (“Well, I bought shoes, but they rub me”), the most important thing is not to offer him a solution at that moment. It is important not to move on to persuasion until a person is ready for it. And in order to prepare the client for the presentation of the goods, continue to ask questions.

Group two, problematic issues

These questions are aimed at provoking the buyer to talk about their problems and difficulties with shoes. Perhaps the person has a non-standard leg, or he has to wear shoes in unusual conditions, or he needs a beautiful, but versatile pair “underneath everything”. Needless to say, aleatherg all possible questions is not necessary at all. It is necessary to evaluate the buyer and understand what type of problems with shoes he may have, and whether it is in style, in the structure of his legs or in socks. Examples of questions from this group:

· How often does one pair serve you?

· What happened to your previous pair of shoes?

· Do the shoes you bought always fit the clothes?

· Is it difficult for you to choose shoes for your foot?

But even after the client voiced his problem, it is too early to propose a solution and show shoes that should relieve all the hardships. The buyer can only be discreetly led to the desired shelf, but not shown anything specific. While it is more important to identify “pain points”, which in the future can be slightly pressed and create the necessary emotional background for sale.

Group Three Extracting Questions

After we realized that a person has problems with shoes (and they somehow have it, because for some reason he came to the store), you can ask clarifying questions. The purpose of this group of questions is to make it clear to the client that his problems are much more serious than he thinks. It is necessary to make the buyer think, but it’s important not to convey: to show sarcasm or to hint that a person is acting stupidly, is categorically unacceptable. The global goal of deepening questions is to slightly reduce the emotional state of the client, so that later, leading to the product, raise it up and create a feeling of a solved problem. Here are some deeper questions:

· How much money would you save if you bought a more expensive pair, but once every five years, than if you bought a less expensive pair, but every season?

· Do you feel pain in your back or legs?

· Do you think your colleagues or partners notice that your shoes do not fit the suit?

Group Four, positive questions

The main task of this group of questions is to make the buyer say “I need” or “I want” by forming a specific request for shoes. Only when the problem is conscious and the client has a specific vision of how it can be solved, the seller can offer a solution. Positive questions help the buyer decide and want “these are the boots”, so they should be formulated so that the answer to them is positive. For example:

· Do you think this pair will be useful to you somewhere other than the office?

· Would you wear these shoes for a gala evening?

· Would your man like these shoes?

· Can you save on buying one but a good pair?

Is it really good when your legs don't hurt?

As a rule, while working on the fourth group of questions, the buyer has already unconsciously formed an image of what he needs. Therefore, immediately after positive questions raised his spirits and helped to want a specific pair, you can propose a solution. Offer him a maximum of three pairs to choose from and tell how they will help solve the buyer’s problem, how they will improve his life. Do not forget to mention additional products with which the solution to the problem will last longer or be more effective.

If the buyer begins to doubt the price, quality, or other aspects of the shoes, in no case do not enter into a dispute with him. As soon as you entered into a polemic, you lost. Instead of giving counterarguments, again ask problematic questions from the second group. Perhaps the buyer’s fears are based on bad experience, and you can convince him that the same will not happen with your product. Give the customer a guarantee or remove his doubts in another way (for more details on what types of guarantees can be used to increase sales, see the article “Increasing Sales? Guaranteed!” published in Shoes Report No. 108).


To defeat your fear of aleatherg questions, create a conversation plan and print it on paper. For each group, think up to 20 questions for each case, but remember that in a real dialogue it is worth using a maximum of 5 questions for each group. Memorize questions by heart, because only then will they sound really confident and convincing. When you see a customer visiting a store, do not ask him if he needs help. Just say to yourself “I'm going to help” and tune in to productive communication. If you gave your best, and the right person did not have the shoes in your store, do not miss the opportunity to establish a long-term relationship with these customers. In order to sell a lot, you need to become an opinion leader, and the goal of a good seller is to make the buyer come back again and again at least for advice and advice. Therefore, if there is no necessary product in your store, honestly tell the buyer where you can buy it and advise what you should pay attention to when buying. Such a sincere desire to help make the buyer your loyal customer.

There is nothing worse than meeting the buyer with the words “Hello, can I help you with something?”, Because the seller works in the store just to help. Criticizing this established pattern ...
3.38
5
1
4
Please rate the article

Materials on the topic

Making the right diagnosis. 10 ways to quickly identify your customers' "pains"

Have you ever thought about how your offer on the website of an online store, on marketplaces is perceived through the eyes of the buyer? How deeply and well do you know the needs of your target audience and the fears of your customers? SR expert on digital…
24.09.2024 1514

Sales through marketplaces. Growth points and pitfalls

Over the past few years, marketplaces have been actively growing, taking away share from offline retail. And shoe brands are eager to sell their products through these online platforms, hoping to earn a lot more and scale their business. Marketplaces are really...
27.05.2024 6611

Omnichannel on the shelves. What is it, which companies are it suitable for and should they follow this trend?

The technologies we use in life and business are developing rapidly: in the last 10 years alone, many new sales channels and communication with audiences have appeared. This progress influences consumer behavior in ways that cannot be...
18.03.2024 3996

Does an online store need omnichannel?

According to experts, the assortment of offline and online stores should be different, because their target audience is different. What is the difference between the target audiences of a regular retail store and its online clone? Is omnichannel necessary...
10.10.2023 4705

I doubt and object: how to find an approach to difficult clients?

How good and serene would be the work of a salesperson if the customers were calm, cheerful, always knew exactly what they wanted, and bought, bought, bought! It is a pity that this is possible only in dreams. Therefore, we will not dream, but we will ...
10.05.2023 8905
When you sign up, you will receive weekly news and articles about the shoe business on your e-mail.

To the beginning