Have you ever asked a salesperson a question and instead of getting your answer, you are asked another question? While this may seem frustrating, it is common for an experienced salesperson to use this tactic. Experienced sales people understand the art of questioning and how to take control of a conversation by asking questions. It is the inexperienced salesperson who thinks that by talking or presenting, you'll take control of the conversation.

Many salespeople never learn the power or value of asking questions and this can prevent them from reaching higher sales volumes. The most important thing to establish is a purpose for the conversation. I am surprised by how many salespeople initiate a sales conversation without a plan or objective for the outcome. In this article we explore methods of taking control of a conversation using a few rules to follow as we enter into a conversation.

If conversations were a game and points were awarded toward a victory, the victory would always go to the person who asks the most questions. In sales, we sometimes think we're in control when we're talking or presenting. Too often an inexperienced sales person believes that an aggressive sales pitch and going straight for the presentation will impress the client. This might work well on a used car lot, but it does tremendous damage on the sales front in business to business. The following are a few rules to help you maintain control of a sales conversation.

Rule No. One: Set the stage at the beginning of the call.
If you don't begin your appointments by gathering or verifying your information, the contact may be in the dark about why you are talking to them in the first place. By sharing your objective with the contact, you invite their support and assistance toward your goal. In this way, you are asking the contact to help you achieve the right objective.

This will establish the team effort and your contact will know why you are asking some of the questions you might ask. Here is an example: