When a customer asks what or how much experience you have with a certain solution, how do you respond?

When a customer asks if an engagement can be completed by a date that makes you uncomfortable, how do you respond? 

When a customer asks you if you provide a solution that is not exactly in your core capabilities, how do you respond? 

Have you ever “winged” a presentation?  I know I have in the past…generally, I did not like the results. 

While you might prepare well for a meeting, you may get questions you are not prepared for.  Some ways to handle them...

Have you asked a customer questions and not received the reaction you hoped for? 

If you are working on building client relationships around the holidays, hopefully you are getting some opportunities to schedule meetings. 

ow do you get some clarity from the experience and, more importantly, some value?

Many organizations have calendar year budgets and will need to spend remaining budget or risk losing it. 

It is critical to obtain this information to see if/how you might navigate around this challenge. 

How are your wins (and value for your customers) being promoted in your customers’ organizations?  Are they promoted at all? 

How many presentations have you done in the past few months?  What kind of grade would you give yourself on how they went? 

How does the client’s buying process work?  Up to what amount can your client contact spend before requiring additional approval?  This info

We all face many challenges in our selling effort.  Some issues you cannot control (e.g. supplier, technology, weather). 

Trying to displace a competitor?  It can be a tough task.  Incumbent providers have an advantage unless their performance is horrible...

Sometimes ideas for new opportunities to pursue are easier to identify than you might think…

How do you know if you are on a good track toward closing a deal or at least gathering the necessary information? 

Totally guessing is not a great option...so getting some feedback from potential clients is valuable.  How you approach obtaining this input

There is a fair chance that your contact either was involved in selecting the incumbent provider and/or works with them. 

Before meetings with clients, do you prepare questions you want to ask by writing them down or are you trying to keep it in your head?