Ask, Identify, and Connect

In order to be successful in sales, there are three things you have to be able to do well. 

1. Ask questions: If you are talking more than 30% of the time during a sales call, you aren't creating value.  Salespeople often mistake pitching and "educating" the prospect as a means to create value. However, you’ll find value in the information you gather by asking good questions, not the information you give. When I meet with a President or CEO who answers "I'm not sure" to a question I ask, I know that I'm getting them to think differently than they've had to think before. This establishes credibility and value.
2. Identify Gaps: I'm going to share something that may be shocking to some of you.... Not everyone needs or wants your stuff! You should have a list of 7-10 go-to questions you can ask prospective customers to help identify any potential gaps about the way they're currently doing business. If you can't find any gaps and those gaps don't create any pain.... Why would they do something different? 
3. Connect the Dots: I can't tell you how many sales people gather a lot of information but aren't able to connect the dots. Connecting the dots can help you get a clear picture of what's REALLY going on (and not just what they told you). This can help you properly position your offering, and help your prospect see the ripple effect of their problem.

Using a scale of 1-10, grade yourself on the three items listed above. If you think you’re anything less than a 7, create a strategy to improve in that area. 

-L'areal