SEGURIDAD INDUSTRIAL EN LA ADMINISTRACION DE LA OBRA .1 Objetivo

Because the potential customer has initiated an inquiry, your influ- encer has a built-in reason to cooperate with your need for informa- tion. While he or she rarely volunteers details, the initial contact almost always is cooperative when asked for details. In fact, the open- ing situation—that the potential customer, by contacting you, has demonstrated interest in a discussion—provides you with a gilded invi- tation to collect information for your initial meeting. This is a huge opportunity if it is handled properly. The key here, given that we have limited time on the phone, is to ask the right questions—in the right order—to learn as much as possible about the current state of the prospective buyer.

Most formal RFPs provide a contact person for questions. Whether responding to an RFP or handling an incoming phone call, the request should be as follows: “To make the best use of your time, do you have a moment to answer a few questions for me?” Because of the preestablished interest of the potential customer, the response you will get is, “Sure, what would you like to know?” Once you get this response, follow this seven-question sequence to lay the foundation for your strategy:

1. How did you hear about us? Predators always keep close tabs on where their leads are coming from. Enough said.

2. What prompted you to contact us? This will provide you with the dominant buying motive—the primary reason for the action taken in contacting you. Let the potential customer talk and take notes.

3. What else can you tell me about what you are looking for? This is often the most important question of the initial interview; this additional dig for more information can provide crucial details. In most cases it will provide you with secondary data about the desired outcomes of the prospective account— details that your competitors usually miss.

4. What other options are you considering? This is a subtle and nonthreatening way of asking, “Who is my competition?” Granted, the prospective account may refuse to share this with you—but this rarely happens. Worst case, the prospective account will not mind your asking. If you learn that

competitors are being considered, immediately add the two “bonus” questions below:

a. Where are you in your meetings with them? This establishes a pecking order. You usually will learn where you fall in the sequence of evaluating options, as well as how far along the account is in the decision process. If the prospective account already has met with your competition, add the following question:

b. What have you liked and not liked about what you’ve seen so

far? Again, the prospective account doesn’t have to tell you

this information—but what is the harm in asking? You might hit the jackpot. I once asked a prospect this question about one of my competitors, and his response was, “I disliked his presentation, and his pricing was out of line.” Would you find this information useful? I did—and it helped me to easily land the account.

5. What is your decision process, and who else besides you will be

involved? As we will discuss later, there is almost never a single

person who buys without the input of others. It is critical that you identify this “inner circle” as quickly as possible. Don’t be afraid to press for detail—”And what role does _____ have?”— and take notes!

6. What is your role in this process? This usually will clarify the level of influence that your initial contact has—or does not have—in the buying process. The most common response is, “My job is to gather information for them.”

7. What is your time frame for making a decision? This is an excellent question to establish the interest level of the buyer and, incidentally, the quality of the lead. “We have to make a decision by _______” indicates a high-quality opportunity. “We are in no hurry” obviously indicates otherwise. “I’m not sure” translates to “I’m not high enough in our organization to know.”

PREDATOR POINT

Callers will sometimes ask for a price over the phone. Respond by saying, “I will not be in a position to quote fees until after our initial meeting.”

As the result of this brief fact-finding mission, you now know • What marketing channel brought the prospect to you • What the prospect’s dominant buying motive is

• Secondary details regarding what the prospective account is looking for

• Who your competition is

• Where the prospect is in terms of his or her buying timeline, as well as your location as you enter the opportunity

• The prospect’s initial assessment of your competitors

• The prospect’s sense of urgency regarding the decision process It is also worth noting here that as a result of asking these seven ques- tions, you come across as being well organized, knowledgeable, and professional. Frankly, most people will be impressed with the way in which you conduct this interview. First impressions are important— and following this sequence allows you to put your best foot forward. Also, be aware that it is highly unlikely that your competition will ask for all this information. Because you did, you will begin the selling process armed with information that your competitors simply do not have. And by the time they get it—if they do at all—it is often too late.