One of the biggest mistakes salespeople make is not asking for the sale. The same is true with asking for referrals or reviews. Here’s the reality: If you don’t ask the question, the answer is “no.”
People don’t ask questions for a variety of reasons – the stress of the moment, forgetting or getting distracted, and, most commonly, fear of rejection.
What most of us don’t recognize is that when someone tells you “no,” nothing has changed, so there is only a potential upside to asking questions. Read that again and let it sink in – you didn’t have the deal before you asked the question, so being told “no” didn’t change anything.
The same applies to asking for a referral, an introduction, a review, or even an up-sell opportunity.
In sales, asking questions moves a sale forward to its logical conclusion. Getting a “no” is far more valuable than an unresolved potential sale—you have reached the logical end of the process and can move on to your next opportunity.
Pro tip: In consultative selling, we take pressure off the prospect by asking a more subtle closing question instead: “Where would you like to go from here?”
If you’re not getting enough referrals, reviews or closed deals, take a look at your process. Remember, you have the power to ask for what you want. Are you using it?
