7 ways to confidently close a 1-1 meeting with a prospect

Here are seven questions you can use/adapt for the end of your one on one meetings with your sales presentation prospects:

1. ‘What’s important to you about us working together, so that the highest possible relationship between you and me could be achieved?’
2. ‘Do you have any questions for me?’
3. ‘On a scale from 1 –10, how would you rate the quality of our relationship in this meeting? (if they answer less that 10 ask) ‘What would it take to make it a 10?’ (then of course you need to act on those areas prior to your next meeting. If you don’t you’ll lose credibility).
4. What questions can I answer about my fees and services so you feel confident you know exactly what you are getting?
5. ‘What do you read, watch or listen to that gives you perspective on being a better leader?’
6. ‘What behaviour or attitude have you used throughout your career because it has paid off for you . . . and  because it’s paid off, you continue to use it today?’
7. ‘What else do we need to discuss at this time?’

These questions come from the work of Dan Sullivan, Bill Bachrach, Jack Canfield and others, and from my own sale presentation meetings and from my speech communication coaching work. Overall, the thinking behind the questions is to increase the transparency in your relationship with your prospect. Asking these questions at the first meeting with a prospect provides you with a ‘map’ of conducting the relationship with the person in the future. (For more information about building trust go to the post of 19 May 2011. It includes a link to Bill Bachrach’s article ‘Eleven principles of developing trust’). The ‘how to apply’ for this post: In the next seven days, choose one of the above questions, and then ask it at the end of your one on one meetings.