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Sometimes customers are reserved, and ask very few questions. This presents an opportunity for the salesman to pose the questions he wants them to ask, and in the order that he would prefer to address them. Experienced sales personnel are not intimidated in the least by the silent customer.

Usually, good salesmen use engaging conversation to establish good rapport with prospects. Small talk can remove some of the barriers that customers put up as a defense towards pushy salesmen. Some customers will not open up and communicate, no matter how engaging the salesman may be. When a salesman realizes that the correct questions are not forthcoming, he must take action. To not do so would be to accept failure. That is never necessary.

Every product has obvious selling points, and the salesman must find a way to talk about them. If the customer does not ask, the salesman needs only to ask his client, "Wouldn't you like to know why this product is the best selling in the marketplace?". Whatever specific question that is a natural lead-in to the key information that the customer needs in order to make a buying decision has to be covered.

In point of fact, some customers actually want to be led all of the way through the sales presentation. For them, it may be easier to follow than to lead. Since all customers are unique individuals, one should never interpret the lack of questions as disinterest. If your customer wishes to be guided through the entire sales presentation, the result should be an easy sale. That is assuming, of course, that the right questions were asked, and appropriately answered!

Learn more about this author, Bob Schmidt.
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