Questions Only True Sales Professionals Ask!

Questions only true sales professionals ask!

Part 19— by Scott Morris

When sales associates ask the right presentation questions, they guide shoppers down a path to the sale that makes the most effective use of everyone’s time.

In retail sales situations, the person who asks the questions controls the conversation. And we all know that the conversation steers any sale to its successful completion! That’s why it is very important for sales managers to know exactly what provocative questions their salespeople should ask so they can more effectively coach them. This is an approach that’s been lacking in nearly every furniture retail sales training program!

The Mark of a True Professional Salesperson

When doctors ask patients the right questions, they enable correct diagnoses and healthcare solutions. The same is true for lawyers, whose closing arguments can only be effective if facts have been established through skillful questioning.

Retail salespeople also become experts in their customers’ eyes through the timely use of a host of appropriate and helpful questions. When sales managers teach them how to do this skillfully, they will surely take store performance to the “NEXT LEVEL!”

Question Magic

When appropriately asked, the feedback, situation, self-discovery, merchandise, decorating and room questions presented in this article will come forth in a relaxed and effortless manner as an extension of each salesperson’s personality. They will not make customers uncomfortable because shoppers will understand that the salesperson has their best interest at heart! This will result in bonding that transforms them into customers for life!'

When salespeople ask the right questions throughout the presentation process, it allows them to guide the sale along a path that makes the most effective use of everyone’s time.

Feedback Questions

Customer feedback lets salespeople know exactly where they stand when presenting various options. These are questions like:

• What are your thoughts about this set?
• Do you like that specific feature?
• What do you like the most about this one?
• You look really comfortable; would you agree?
• How would this look in your room?
• How does the one you’re sitting in feel?

Situation Questions

It’s common knowledge that most shoppers who visit furniture stores have already done a fair amount of Internet research. Therefore, following a friendly greeting and finding out why they came in, it’s helpful to ask the following questions while showing them items they said they were looking for:

• Have you already seen something you like?
• Do you have any pictures of it?
• Where are you in your shopping journey?
• Are you redoing or moving?
• Are you upsizing or downsizing?
• Where do you live?
• How soon will you need it?
• Will it get a lot of heavy usage?

Self-Discovery Questions

Before visiting a furniture store, there are always details shoppers have not thoroughly thought through that ultimately influence their final decisions. The best way to discover them and help crystallize their thinking is to ask the following series of what I refer to as self-discovery questions:

• How would you like to “feel” when you’re in this room?
• What are you hoping your friends or family will say?
• Do you like changing the look of your rooms often or rearrange things frequently?

Shoppers’ answers provide insight early on about what colors might work best to create the desired mood of a room, how influential others might be in their decision-making, and which pieces might work best to facilitate moving home furnishings items around. I once worked with an interior designer who asked all these self-discovery questions, even before asking the following merchandise questions!

Merchandise Questions

• What items are you looking for?
• What important features do you need?
• How long would you like it to last?
• Have you decided on a particular style?
• What colors or finishes might work best?
• What’s most important to you, great comfort or a great look?
• Do you prefer leather or cloth?
• Have you thought about reclining pieces?
• Does it have to be pet-friendly?
• How much storage area do you need?
• Will anyone using it have trouble getting up and down?
• Will children be using it?
• Will it need to serve other uses in the future, say in 10-15 years?

Although these types of questions are the most useful in stores with many design options and multiple manufacturers, it’s refreshing for shoppers to encounter salespeople who offer this level of thoughtful help in stores offering more limited selections.

“When appropriately asked, feedback, situation, self-discovery, merchandise, decorating and room questions will come forth in a relaxed and effortless manner as an extension of each salesperson’s personality.”

Customer Room Questions

Furniture shoppers always have more decisions to make than simply arriving at which furniture items they like the best. Even a small purchase, like an end table, has to fit perfectly in terms of size, style, and overall look in shoppers’ homes. That’s why getting a handle on “room” considerations is crucial to assisting them properly. The main reason shoppers don’t buy immediately, once they find an item they like, is because they still want to make sure it will be a good fit for their rooms. Excellent closers know this and always make a determined effort to better understand the environments that the items customers purchase will go into. Here are some great questions to help do just that!

• Do you have any pictures of your room?
• What is the room going to be used for?
• Who else will be using it?
• Is the room ready now?
• What are the wall colors?
• Can you tell me a little about your window treatments?
• Have you decided on the room’s focal point yet?
• Does the room have carpet, tile, or wood flooring?
• Is there a TV in the room?
• Is it a large open area or are there some tight spaces?
• Is it rectangular, square, or L-shaped?
• Are there any large wall build-outs, such as a fireplace or bookshelves?

These kinds of questions begin a journey into customers’ most private spaces, their cherished homes where friends and family are invited in. They are empowering, taking salesperson/customer relationships to a much higher level. You’ll see what I mean!

Decorating Questions

• Do you prefer a minimalist or more of a decorator look?
• Do you have a specific color or a color scheme in mind?
• What’s the ambient and task lighting like?
• Do you own accent pieces that will stay in the room?
• Have you chosen a particular room theme?
• Do you have any collections, family mementos, memorabilia or groupings that will remain in the room?

Driving Deeper Room Conversations

Helping shoppers to buy requires that salespeople know the right questions to ask for each type of room, be it a bedroom, living room, home office or dining area.

When selling at the retail store level, I was in the habit of carrying a single laminated question sheet on the sales floor listing them all. It helped me to drive deeper and have much more meaningful conversations with each customer, depending on the room they shopped for.

Conclusion

We’ve already covered a lot of ground, but there are still more questions, such as sales closing and trial closing questions, order processing questions, customers’ future needs questions, and many others. These will be covered in future articles in this “Next Level Training” series.

If you share this empowering information with your sales team, I’m sure you’ll come to agree that there’s just no question about how well the questions in this article will create better relationships and increase store sales. HAPPY SELLING!

“There are still more questions, such as sales closing and trial closing questions, order processing questions, customers’ future needs questions, and many others.”