How do you identify the intent of your prospect’s questions? By reversing.
Reversing is the strategy of responding to your prospect’s questions and statements with a question. It puts the verbal “ball” back in the prospect’s court.
Reversing prevents you from attempting to mind-read. It adds clarity and completeness to the prospect’s smokescreen questions and statements. It helps you uncover the underlying intent of those questions and statements.
Reversing must be done with caution. Firing back questions in response to the prospect’s questions may sound harsh. So, in most cases, you will want to precede your questions with softening statements.
- That’s a good question. And you’re asking that because?
- I’m glad you asked me that. What are you hoping I’ll tell you?
- Many people ask me that. And that’s important to you because?
- That’s an interesting question. Why do you ask (What brought that up?)
- Good point. And, you brought that up now because?
- I appreciate you sharing that. I can’t help wondering, what are you really saying?
It often takes three or more reverses to get to the prospect’s real question.
By making better decisions about which questions you answer directly and which you reverse, you can increase the quality of the information you uncover during discussions with prospects, get behind the smokescreen, and close more sales.
From 2014 September Sandler Brief
