WEBVTT 1 00:00:18.335 --> 00:00:19.075 Hi, everyone. 2 00:00:20.494 --> 00:00:20.994 Okay. 3 00:00:22.015 --> 00:00:23.795 Welcome. Glad to see you. 4 00:00:25.270 --> 00:00:30.890 And I am doing my very best to let everybody in that I can let in. So thank you. Thank you. 5 00:00:31.990 --> 00:00:32.490 So 6 00:00:33.110 --> 00:00:35.690 since I am doing that for the moment 7 00:00:36.230 --> 00:00:39.450 and it is recording this, I would love to hear 8 00:00:40.735 --> 00:00:43.395 since this is all about asking discovery questions, 9 00:00:43.775 --> 00:00:49.295 I would love to hear what you wanna get out of this. Hi, Kate. Hi. How are you? I'm well. Thanks. 10 00:00:49.295 --> 00:00:50.115 How are you? 11 00:00:50.575 --> 00:00:51.075 Good. 12 00:00:53.310 --> 00:00:53.810 Okay. 13 00:00:55.470 --> 00:00:59.410 So so what would you like to get at anyone can let themselves off mute. 14 00:00:59.950 --> 00:01:02.129 We have a lot of folks on the call. So 15 00:01:02.910 --> 00:01:05.489 since this is about asking discovery questions, 16 00:01:05.869 --> 00:01:08.530 what are the what are the challenges you're up against? 17 00:01:09.604 --> 00:01:10.085 What, 18 00:01:11.685 --> 00:01:15.465 what are the questions you'd like to know most about? What are the most important questions? 19 00:01:15.924 --> 00:01:19.465 Anything in the spectrum on questions that you'd like to know. 20 00:01:20.725 --> 00:01:23.865 You can have it as a three or two part of the interest question on time. 21 00:01:27.980 --> 00:01:31.040 I heard something, but I couldn't hear it too enough. 22 00:01:34.940 --> 00:01:39.360 That one is the Baker cushion for the column of the team in 23 00:01:39.875 --> 00:01:40.375 my 24 00:01:43.555 --> 00:01:44.215 job. Okay. 25 00:01:44.835 --> 00:01:45.335 So 26 00:01:45.715 --> 00:01:50.835 so thank you for that. Since I can't hear it, I'd love to respond to it, but I I couldn't hear that. 27 00:01:50.835 --> 00:01:53.335 So why don't we do this? Let's rock. 28 00:01:53.940 --> 00:01:54.440 And, 29 00:01:54.900 --> 00:01:56.600 and we're gonna start talking about 30 00:01:57.140 --> 00:01:58.920 asking discovery questions. So 31 00:01:59.460 --> 00:02:02.520 as some of you know, this information echoes 32 00:02:02.820 --> 00:02:07.400 what is covered in the blog for June, which is all about asking discovery questions. 33 00:02:07.985 --> 00:02:14.565 And so let's look at them. So let's look at what why we even ask them and what the objective is 34 00:02:15.025 --> 00:02:16.645 of asking discovery questions. 35 00:02:17.185 --> 00:02:17.685 So 36 00:02:18.705 --> 00:02:20.645 I'm gonna speak to you as a salesperson, 37 00:02:20.945 --> 00:02:22.245 as a sales trainer, 38 00:02:23.160 --> 00:02:23.900 talking to 39 00:02:24.920 --> 00:02:26.380 you as as, 40 00:02:27.239 --> 00:02:28.220 as salespeople. 41 00:02:30.120 --> 00:02:30.620 So 42 00:02:31.080 --> 00:02:32.700 as a as a salesperson, 43 00:02:33.480 --> 00:02:36.459 do you know what you want to know 44 00:02:37.345 --> 00:02:37.845 about 45 00:02:38.465 --> 00:02:39.364 your customer? 46 00:02:40.785 --> 00:02:43.685 And what do you wanna know about your customer? 47 00:02:45.185 --> 00:02:47.125 Your client, your prospect, 48 00:02:47.584 --> 00:02:48.405 this opportunity. 49 00:02:49.025 --> 00:02:50.485 What do you want to know? 50 00:02:53.980 --> 00:02:56.800 Well, for us, we wanna work we wanna discover, 51 00:02:57.180 --> 00:03:00.160 you know, the sort of projects they're working on, what kind of projects, 52 00:03:02.220 --> 00:03:06.640 you know, the the way they make their business if it's repeat referrals. 53 00:03:08.925 --> 00:03:11.105 Great. So you're gonna start asking 54 00:03:12.285 --> 00:03:12.785 broad, 55 00:03:13.805 --> 00:03:15.345 general business questions 56 00:03:16.285 --> 00:03:19.185 as a way to get to know them and how they operate. 57 00:03:20.400 --> 00:03:23.860 Right? As a to sort of start to get a sense of them. 58 00:03:24.160 --> 00:03:27.620 Yeah. And to ask about their organizations, how many people they employ, 59 00:03:29.440 --> 00:03:33.140 you know, just what where they work nationally, internationally, 60 00:03:35.644 --> 00:03:36.305 collaboration, collaborations. 61 00:03:39.165 --> 00:03:39.665 Yeah. 62 00:03:39.965 --> 00:03:43.345 Wonderful. Thank you. Thank you for that, Kate. It's a wonderful start. 63 00:03:43.885 --> 00:03:45.424 So when we think about 64 00:03:46.045 --> 00:03:46.545 discovery 65 00:03:47.644 --> 00:03:48.144 questions 66 00:03:49.860 --> 00:03:50.360 are, 67 00:03:53.300 --> 00:03:56.760 they are that. They are we're looking to discover information 68 00:03:57.380 --> 00:03:58.920 about them. And 69 00:03:59.220 --> 00:03:59.720 in 70 00:04:00.260 --> 00:04:02.920 my earlier iteration of my sales programs, 71 00:04:03.380 --> 00:04:05.595 I call them asking qualifying questions. 72 00:04:06.075 --> 00:04:09.295 But I changed from qualifying questions to discovery questions 73 00:04:09.675 --> 00:04:10.815 because I liked 74 00:04:11.435 --> 00:04:11.935 the 75 00:04:12.875 --> 00:04:14.175 I liked the connotation 76 00:04:14.635 --> 00:04:15.615 of discover 77 00:04:16.235 --> 00:04:17.135 versus qualify. 78 00:04:17.720 --> 00:04:20.060 And I found that asking discovery questions 79 00:04:20.680 --> 00:04:21.580 has a 80 00:04:22.040 --> 00:04:22.540 collaborative 81 00:04:22.840 --> 00:04:25.180 quality to it in the process 82 00:04:25.880 --> 00:04:27.020 of discussion 83 00:04:27.640 --> 00:04:28.700 that qualifying, 84 00:04:30.535 --> 00:04:31.035 well, 85 00:04:32.135 --> 00:04:34.315 qualifying is part of discovering. 86 00:04:35.895 --> 00:04:36.395 Qualifying 87 00:04:36.775 --> 00:04:37.915 has an exclusion 88 00:04:39.014 --> 00:04:42.475 element to it that I think early in the process, 89 00:04:42.960 --> 00:04:46.180 I don't wanna go there. And I know that there may be some 90 00:04:46.639 --> 00:04:47.139 salespeople 91 00:04:47.440 --> 00:04:53.280 that think I gotta know quickly if this is even a customer because if not, I'm on to the next one. 92 00:04:53.280 --> 00:04:55.620 And I I respect that. 93 00:04:56.305 --> 00:04:57.685 But for many of us, 94 00:04:58.305 --> 00:05:03.925 it's not quite that. We're looking to find out maybe if we're a fit. 95 00:05:05.425 --> 00:05:07.365 But we've probably done enough 96 00:05:08.080 --> 00:05:08.820 if it's, 97 00:05:09.760 --> 00:05:10.660 b to b 98 00:05:10.960 --> 00:05:14.820 in a trade showroom or b to c with retail salespeople. 99 00:05:16.320 --> 00:05:21.380 With retail sales peak customers, you know they've come into your showroom, so you know that they're an opportunity. 100 00:05:22.205 --> 00:05:24.945 And they're all an opportunity until you learn that they aren't. 101 00:05:25.645 --> 00:05:27.425 And with b to b, 102 00:05:27.965 --> 00:05:31.345 you've done enough homework to know if this is a candidate 103 00:05:31.965 --> 00:05:34.625 that's in your ideal client world. 104 00:05:35.390 --> 00:05:37.970 So no matter what, let's say their game. 105 00:05:38.430 --> 00:05:41.170 Now we wanna look at it and say and ask yourself, 106 00:05:44.670 --> 00:05:54.415 are they are are they in a process now that help that I can help them with to achieve whatever it is that they're out to achieve? 107 00:05:54.875 --> 00:05:58.014 There's a phrase in selling that says, 108 00:05:58.794 --> 00:06:01.935 it's better to have something that people want to buy 109 00:06:02.590 --> 00:06:07.410 than it is to have something to sell. And I'll give that to Sharon Drew Morgan, who I think 110 00:06:08.190 --> 00:06:10.110 who I got the quote from. 111 00:06:10.110 --> 00:06:15.490 It's better to have something that people want to buy than it is to have something to sell. 112 00:06:15.895 --> 00:06:19.595 And when we look at it from that point of view, what we're looking 113 00:06:20.294 --> 00:06:24.635 at in our early discovery and I love that Kate started with the general questions 114 00:06:25.014 --> 00:06:32.410 because discovery questions should start broad and general to get a sense of them, to build trust, to build connection. 115 00:06:32.950 --> 00:06:38.810 Because when we first meet someone we'll talk about this when we talk when I when we talk about bridge questions. 116 00:06:39.270 --> 00:06:40.970 But when we first meet someone, 117 00:06:43.835 --> 00:06:48.414 to get that to all we want is enough of a connection 118 00:06:49.035 --> 00:06:51.455 that we can start to ask questions. 119 00:06:52.474 --> 00:06:54.555 That's all we need in the very beginning. 120 00:06:54.555 --> 00:07:01.120 So it's it's sort of like dating that we we don't really most people don't marry someone on the first date. 121 00:07:01.979 --> 00:07:04.960 Don't say it never happens, but most people don't. You know? 122 00:07:06.300 --> 00:07:10.319 And so when we look at it as where do I want to 123 00:07:12.755 --> 00:07:13.975 work my way in? 124 00:07:14.675 --> 00:07:17.975 And because what do I wanna know and by when do I wanna know it? 125 00:07:18.115 --> 00:07:22.695 So that when we look at discovery questions, we want them to be a conversation, 126 00:07:23.315 --> 00:07:24.375 not an interrogation. 127 00:07:24.995 --> 00:07:26.055 We want to 128 00:07:26.720 --> 00:07:28.580 we want to encourage 129 00:07:29.360 --> 00:07:31.380 discussion and truly discovery 130 00:07:31.840 --> 00:07:33.300 because the more that 131 00:07:34.560 --> 00:07:35.940 you and your prospect 132 00:07:36.320 --> 00:07:38.580 participate in the discovery process 133 00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:39.540 together, 134 00:07:40.365 --> 00:07:43.025 discussing the problem, discussing the priorities, 135 00:07:43.565 --> 00:07:47.185 and having them share with you. The more that they tell you, 136 00:07:48.445 --> 00:07:50.945 the greater the chance that you will sell them. 137 00:07:52.320 --> 00:07:53.140 You know what? 138 00:07:54.080 --> 00:07:56.420 And I'm I'll say that again so that 139 00:07:57.520 --> 00:07:58.340 you get it. 140 00:07:58.560 --> 00:08:07.380 The more that they tell you about themselves and about their problem and about what they're working on, the greater the chance that you can sell to them. 141 00:08:07.824 --> 00:08:13.604 Because and if we turn it upside down, which is an archaic way of selling that doesn't work anymore, 142 00:08:14.145 --> 00:08:15.764 that if we have it that 143 00:08:16.065 --> 00:08:22.669 selling is telling, and I'm gonna talk and talk and talk about what I have to offer and how great I am and all of that stuff. 144 00:08:22.669 --> 00:08:24.509 I mean, imagine that on a first date. 145 00:08:24.509 --> 00:08:29.009 If that was what your first date was like, it would be horrible. There would not be a second date. 146 00:08:29.389 --> 00:08:31.090 So when we look at it as 147 00:08:31.630 --> 00:08:33.409 I want to create an environment 148 00:08:33.710 --> 00:08:38.085 that they trust me and they connect with me and they're willing to talk to me. 149 00:08:38.085 --> 00:08:40.985 And that's what the beginning is. That's the groundwork 150 00:08:41.445 --> 00:08:43.865 that we are setting with discovery questions. 151 00:08:44.725 --> 00:08:48.519 Right? And we have to practice them. We have to practice them. 152 00:08:48.579 --> 00:08:55.540 And we want to know what the outcome is that we're looking for from each and every opportunity that we have. 153 00:08:55.540 --> 00:08:58.100 What's the outcome that we're looking for in the first meeting? 154 00:08:58.100 --> 00:09:01.959 What's the outcome that we're looking for in the second meeting? What are we looking for? 155 00:09:02.415 --> 00:09:05.315 Let's do that. That's what we wanna know. Because discovery questions 156 00:09:06.014 --> 00:09:08.115 are we are looking to determine 157 00:09:09.454 --> 00:09:12.675 where that they are a buyer. We're looking to determine 158 00:09:13.295 --> 00:09:16.355 where the buyer is in their buying process 159 00:09:17.199 --> 00:09:18.660 and when an outcome 160 00:09:19.199 --> 00:09:20.180 can be achieved. 161 00:09:20.800 --> 00:09:22.820 That's one of the things that we're looking 162 00:09:23.199 --> 00:09:24.660 to ask about. 163 00:09:26.160 --> 00:09:27.540 And I'm gonna give you 164 00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:30.180 some questions that can be 165 00:09:30.959 --> 00:09:32.259 modified for 166 00:09:33.575 --> 00:09:36.715 retail and trade and independent designers 167 00:09:37.095 --> 00:09:42.395 so that we can work with that. So first off, discovery questions. They follow connecting 168 00:09:42.855 --> 00:09:44.315 and they precede 169 00:09:44.855 --> 00:09:48.075 presenting a solution. We don't wanna present a solution 170 00:09:48.959 --> 00:09:49.459 until 171 00:09:49.920 --> 00:09:55.379 we can present a solution that they can say yes to because that's what presenting a solution is for. 172 00:09:55.439 --> 00:09:57.779 We're not presenting a solution to inform 173 00:09:58.160 --> 00:10:03.379 and educate or throw it against the wall and hope something sticks. We are presenting a solution 174 00:10:03.695 --> 00:10:05.154 that they can say yes to. 175 00:10:06.255 --> 00:10:11.635 And the way that we can present a solution they can say yes to is that we need to understand 176 00:10:12.175 --> 00:10:16.834 what their buying habits, their motivators are. We need to understand the why. 177 00:10:16.975 --> 00:10:24.470 Because people buy for the why, and they justify it with the logistics about the product or service. 178 00:10:24.850 --> 00:10:26.790 They don't buy it for those reasons. 179 00:10:26.930 --> 00:10:35.115 And when I watch salespeople who try to sell with a lot of product information and a lot of technical stuff, unless you're selling, like, lighting 180 00:10:35.735 --> 00:10:39.835 or something that's highly technical to distinguish yourself from your competition. 181 00:10:40.455 --> 00:10:41.595 We wanna understand 182 00:10:42.135 --> 00:10:44.315 the the emotional motivation 183 00:10:44.695 --> 00:10:47.995 for this buyer because that's what will have them say yes, 184 00:10:48.550 --> 00:10:54.970 As well as what the priorities are for this this individual and the problem that they're looking to solve. 185 00:10:55.830 --> 00:10:56.970 Right? Okay. 186 00:10:57.910 --> 00:10:58.890 So with that, 187 00:10:59.990 --> 00:11:04.065 let's say that we're gonna layer them, and let's say that we have enough of a connection. 188 00:11:04.145 --> 00:11:05.045 So I'm gonna 189 00:11:05.505 --> 00:11:08.885 use what I call the bridge questions, which these speak much more to 190 00:11:09.505 --> 00:11:13.365 retail in the way I'm first gonna say them than they do to, 191 00:11:15.105 --> 00:11:15.605 trade 192 00:11:15.985 --> 00:11:19.125 or designers, but just stay with the stay just stay with me. 193 00:11:19.310 --> 00:11:23.970 So the bridge questions are intended for that reason. They are like pivot questions. 194 00:11:24.430 --> 00:11:27.889 They're pivot questions that take us from social chatter 195 00:11:29.149 --> 00:11:30.449 to a business conversation. 196 00:11:31.230 --> 00:11:34.905 We need enough social chatter, but we don't wanna get stuck there. 197 00:11:34.985 --> 00:11:38.285 We need enough social chatter to sort of make the 198 00:11:38.665 --> 00:11:39.565 make the foundation 199 00:11:40.025 --> 00:11:41.325 pliable and comfortable 200 00:11:42.105 --> 00:11:43.725 enough, but just enough. 201 00:11:44.185 --> 00:11:48.810 So that I'm gonna give the bridge questions in an order, and I'm gonna give you the context 202 00:11:49.290 --> 00:11:53.070 of what each question is meant to do so that you can 203 00:11:54.650 --> 00:11:59.230 adjust it for what you need it to do. So the first bridge question is, 204 00:12:00.490 --> 00:12:02.750 what can I help you to accomplish 205 00:12:04.375 --> 00:12:08.154 either today or overall? What can I help you to accomplish? 206 00:12:08.455 --> 00:12:11.915 So that might be a pivot question for retail salespeople from 207 00:12:12.295 --> 00:12:18.555 the social chatter at the door about the weather and say, you know, I could talk about the weather all day, but I know you came for something special. 208 00:12:18.920 --> 00:12:23.340 So what can I help you accomplish today? To find out what the purpose is. 209 00:12:23.480 --> 00:12:25.820 Like, what's the what's so for them? 210 00:12:26.600 --> 00:12:28.380 And let's say that they say, 211 00:12:28.760 --> 00:12:32.700 I'm looking to redo because this would work for independent designers 212 00:12:33.080 --> 00:12:33.580 or, 213 00:12:35.855 --> 00:12:37.715 actually, I'm gonna make it work for everyone. 214 00:12:37.775 --> 00:12:44.095 Let's say I'm looking for especially for if we've got Lindsay from Stark on with us. 215 00:12:44.095 --> 00:12:47.635 I'm looking for a rug for my dining room because that could be anybody. 216 00:12:47.775 --> 00:12:49.395 Retail, trade, it could be anybody. 217 00:12:49.855 --> 00:12:53.610 And so they say I'm looking for a rug for my dining room. And you say perfect. 218 00:12:53.670 --> 00:12:54.829 So that I can help you find 219 00:12:55.589 --> 00:13:01.529 me. Mhmm. It's question number two. So that I can help you find the perfect rug for you, 220 00:13:02.070 --> 00:13:03.610 may I ask you some questions? 221 00:13:04.385 --> 00:13:09.045 Now think about that. The context of that question is called it's called asking permission. 222 00:13:09.425 --> 00:13:11.525 But we're asking that question because 223 00:13:12.305 --> 00:13:14.005 when we give a reason 224 00:13:14.785 --> 00:13:16.645 for what we're going to do, 225 00:13:17.079 --> 00:13:20.139 we increase the likelihood that they do what we ask. 226 00:13:20.600 --> 00:13:26.380 So notice that. They said I'm looking for a rug for my dining room. The response is perfect. 227 00:13:26.440 --> 00:13:30.495 We have beautiful rugs. I'm sure we can find one that's perfect for you. 228 00:13:30.654 --> 00:13:35.714 And so that we can do that, may I ask you a few questions? And they will always say 229 00:13:36.255 --> 00:13:40.095 yes. And they're going to say yes because it would be foolish to say no. 230 00:13:40.095 --> 00:13:43.615 May I ask you a question so that I can get you exactly what you're looking for? 231 00:13:43.615 --> 00:13:44.835 And they will say yes. 232 00:13:45.620 --> 00:13:46.520 Next question 233 00:13:46.900 --> 00:13:47.400 is 234 00:13:47.860 --> 00:13:50.420 is to find out what matters most to them. 235 00:13:50.420 --> 00:13:55.240 And when and you say, when you think about your dining room, the items that are in there, 236 00:13:55.700 --> 00:14:01.714 the rug that you wanna put in there, Tell me, what are the most important things about that to you? 237 00:14:02.015 --> 00:14:04.995 Because now we're giving them broadly the room itself, 238 00:14:06.815 --> 00:14:07.555 the product, 239 00:14:08.015 --> 00:14:12.180 the existing items, maybe things that are other things that are gonna change in there. 240 00:14:12.180 --> 00:14:15.560 So when we ask them, what are the priorities for you? 241 00:14:16.020 --> 00:14:17.720 And it they will stop, 242 00:14:18.100 --> 00:14:20.680 and they will think about it. They might think about, 243 00:14:21.540 --> 00:14:23.560 if it's a rug, they might think about 244 00:14:25.605 --> 00:14:26.105 the, 245 00:14:27.845 --> 00:14:31.225 provenance or antiquity of it. If they're looking for something heirloom, 246 00:14:31.765 --> 00:14:34.585 they might be looking for something that is going to, 247 00:14:36.165 --> 00:14:38.505 correlate with things that are existing in the room. 248 00:14:39.045 --> 00:14:40.185 They might say, 249 00:14:40.640 --> 00:14:43.700 you know, this is a this is a wedding present 250 00:14:44.320 --> 00:14:45.380 from my parents, 251 00:14:45.760 --> 00:14:48.340 and they've given me a budget of $10,000. 252 00:14:49.120 --> 00:14:52.100 Right? So when we find out what the priorities 253 00:14:52.400 --> 00:14:55.940 are, for me, that would be the time I start taking notes. 254 00:14:57.014 --> 00:15:04.315 Because that is though what those priorities are that they're telling you are what you present the solution to. 255 00:15:05.495 --> 00:15:05.995 Right? 256 00:15:06.615 --> 00:15:09.754 Right? That's what matters most to them. 257 00:15:10.140 --> 00:15:14.720 And it doesn't mean we don't tell them other things, but we don't have to tell them everything. 258 00:15:15.180 --> 00:15:16.960 But we do have to 259 00:15:17.420 --> 00:15:19.200 tell them what matters most. 260 00:15:19.980 --> 00:15:20.480 Right? 261 00:15:20.860 --> 00:15:22.720 Okay. I'll get back to that. 262 00:15:23.205 --> 00:15:26.825 Last question is, how much time do we have to work on this today? 263 00:15:27.845 --> 00:15:37.305 So if you're in a retail setting, if you're in a trade showroom, if you're a designer if you're a designer, especially in your designer and designer on call program, you might be able to find this today. 264 00:15:37.970 --> 00:15:40.070 Right? So if they say, I've 265 00:15:41.730 --> 00:15:45.030 got I've got an two hours to work on this. Doable. 266 00:15:45.410 --> 00:15:46.390 If they say, 267 00:15:47.090 --> 00:15:51.750 I have a luncheon in an hour, so I only have about 45. 268 00:15:52.665 --> 00:15:56.925 This is this the opportunity from this is probably gonna be an appointment. 269 00:15:57.225 --> 00:16:00.845 Do a little bit more research, and you may be able to find it, but it's unlikely. 270 00:16:01.305 --> 00:16:06.600 If they say I have all day and it's a rug, I would say good for you. 271 00:16:06.600 --> 00:16:08.940 And I hope that you have a fabulous day. 272 00:16:09.320 --> 00:16:14.940 I have an appointment in another commitment in two hours, which gives us plenty of time to work on this. 273 00:16:15.240 --> 00:16:19.180 Right? So what are you hearing in those three examples? 274 00:16:20.625 --> 00:16:24.485 Those three examples of what we are going to 275 00:16:24.785 --> 00:16:26.325 do with the time. 276 00:16:28.945 --> 00:16:29.345 It's, 277 00:16:30.865 --> 00:16:32.405 it's an upfront contract. 278 00:16:32.865 --> 00:16:33.605 Are you? 279 00:16:35.430 --> 00:16:38.889 It is. It's exactly right. It is. We're setting boundaries 280 00:16:39.510 --> 00:16:44.010 with them of what can happen in the time that they're giving us. 281 00:16:44.630 --> 00:16:46.395 Right? If they're giving us 282 00:16:46.875 --> 00:16:52.655 thirty, forty five minutes, this is what we can do. Two hours, we can probably accomplish that. 283 00:16:52.875 --> 00:16:56.555 All day, I'm not spending all day for a rug, and work fills 284 00:16:57.195 --> 00:17:02.095 work expands to fill the time allowed. So if we say I've got an another commitment 285 00:17:02.600 --> 00:17:07.740 in two hours that gives us plenty of time to do this, then all you need is two hours. 286 00:17:08.040 --> 00:17:09.260 Right? It's a rug. 287 00:17:10.840 --> 00:17:11.660 It's a rug. 288 00:17:13.160 --> 00:17:13.660 Okay. 289 00:17:14.040 --> 00:17:16.619 So that sets us up for 290 00:17:17.434 --> 00:17:18.095 more questions. 291 00:17:18.474 --> 00:17:21.054 Right? Because those questions, the bridge questions, 292 00:17:21.434 --> 00:17:23.694 start to set the set the parameters 293 00:17:24.234 --> 00:17:27.054 of how we're gonna work together right now. 294 00:17:27.835 --> 00:17:31.295 So let's say that the next question is about 295 00:17:31.890 --> 00:17:33.270 what can you tell me about 296 00:17:33.570 --> 00:17:34.710 the space itself 297 00:17:35.730 --> 00:17:38.710 that you're working with? Tell me about the space itself. 298 00:17:39.250 --> 00:17:40.390 So for 299 00:17:40.930 --> 00:17:41.430 designers, 300 00:17:41.810 --> 00:17:43.430 retail design for anyone, 301 00:17:43.890 --> 00:17:45.430 actually, on this call, 302 00:17:45.810 --> 00:17:47.510 this is going to tell us 303 00:17:47.865 --> 00:17:48.925 what's in the room. 304 00:17:49.465 --> 00:17:51.945 And we're looking at what tell me about it now. 305 00:17:51.945 --> 00:17:56.045 Now if this is new construction, they haven't even started, that's a different conversation. 306 00:17:56.105 --> 00:17:58.825 It might be that's a different conversation for right now. 307 00:17:58.825 --> 00:18:01.485 But let's say that we're working on a room that's existing. 308 00:18:01.625 --> 00:18:04.549 It's gonna tell us what else is in there. 309 00:18:04.929 --> 00:18:10.230 It's gonna tell us about other items. It's gonna talk about what this is gonna correlate with. 310 00:18:10.370 --> 00:18:12.470 It's gonna talk about existing things. 311 00:18:12.770 --> 00:18:17.525 And for designers who are looking for, there may be more in this opportunity 312 00:18:17.825 --> 00:18:19.925 than what they came in asking for, 313 00:18:22.945 --> 00:18:26.245 then there may be more in this opportunity. And that's where 314 00:18:26.625 --> 00:18:30.325 by being inquisitive and understanding the rest of the space, 315 00:18:31.140 --> 00:18:33.880 it's going to give us the opportunity 316 00:18:34.740 --> 00:18:38.840 to talk about everything in the space. Since a rug is a pretty significant 317 00:18:40.020 --> 00:18:49.815 addition and foundation to a room, then knowing what else is in there makes perfect sense to talk about what else is in there because this is going to correlate with something. 318 00:18:50.195 --> 00:18:50.695 So 319 00:18:51.075 --> 00:19:00.300 this is where, again, take notes, whether it's take notes, sketch out the spaces it currently is so that you know what they're working with because when it's what it currently is. 320 00:19:00.380 --> 00:19:05.040 Let's not talk about the vision yet, but let's talk about what they currently work with. 321 00:19:05.260 --> 00:19:06.960 You can start asking them 322 00:19:07.660 --> 00:19:16.304 about things that work or don't work, things that are problematic, things that they've already tried, because you're working with what they have now. 323 00:19:16.765 --> 00:19:22.225 And if there's furniture in the room, since furniture is pretty much standard sizes, 324 00:19:23.804 --> 00:19:27.549 they might and they and you can sketch out the room of what's in there now. 325 00:19:27.549 --> 00:19:29.570 Let's say that they've got a sectional that seats 326 00:19:29.950 --> 00:19:30.850 six comfortably, 327 00:19:31.710 --> 00:19:45.175 and they've got let's say that the the you can figure out how big that is, and that's staying in the room, And you can work from there to figure out the size of the room if they don't already have dimensions so that you know what size of rug to put in there. 328 00:19:45.175 --> 00:19:56.150 If they don't exactly know, if they don't know if they want, you know, a nine by 12 or an eight by 10 or which one they wanna go with, You can figure that out by talking about what's existing in the room now. 329 00:19:56.290 --> 00:20:00.870 So we've got the four bridge questions. What can you tell me about the room the way it is now? 330 00:20:01.570 --> 00:20:03.670 And then we have the badass questions. 331 00:20:04.505 --> 00:20:07.245 The badass questions are intended to 332 00:20:08.345 --> 00:20:08.845 determine 333 00:20:09.305 --> 00:20:11.565 where the buyer is in their buying process 334 00:20:11.945 --> 00:20:15.965 because the badass questions are five questions not asked in order, 335 00:20:17.510 --> 00:20:18.409 but asked 336 00:20:19.190 --> 00:20:20.090 in a way 337 00:20:20.630 --> 00:20:22.409 that we build trust, 338 00:20:23.110 --> 00:20:23.830 further trust. 339 00:20:23.830 --> 00:20:28.649 And there are some questions that you need a little bit more trust to talk about, like money and other people, 340 00:20:30.149 --> 00:20:30.649 then, 341 00:20:32.405 --> 00:20:36.025 then questions like, is there an event coming up you need this for? 342 00:20:36.245 --> 00:20:40.825 For our conversation and, again, they're not asked in order and they're meant to be conversational. 343 00:20:41.365 --> 00:20:44.665 And they're also meant to be like a silo of questions. 344 00:20:45.330 --> 00:20:48.230 One of the questions is the b stands for 345 00:20:48.770 --> 00:20:55.190 budget. And while budget as a word has limiting factor limiting quality to it, 346 00:20:55.570 --> 00:21:00.150 when I'm using it, I'm using it as the number that they've already 347 00:21:01.105 --> 00:21:02.085 been thinking about, 348 00:21:03.024 --> 00:21:05.845 which doesn't mean the number that they 349 00:21:07.904 --> 00:21:09.284 are restricted to. 350 00:21:09.664 --> 00:21:11.044 But that number 351 00:21:11.825 --> 00:21:17.660 represents what they've already done, what they've already compared to, what they've already researched, 352 00:21:18.280 --> 00:21:20.380 that number. So if you ask someone, 353 00:21:20.840 --> 00:21:25.240 you know, what are you planning to invest in the rug? What are you planning to it like, now? 354 00:21:25.240 --> 00:21:29.740 What are you what are you thinking is the is the range that you wanna be in? 355 00:21:30.625 --> 00:21:33.365 How they answer that question tells you 356 00:21:34.385 --> 00:21:39.365 a lot because there are really only two reasons that people won't give you an actual number. 357 00:21:41.265 --> 00:21:45.044 Right? One of them is how long they've been researching this. 358 00:21:45.570 --> 00:21:46.070 And 359 00:21:46.370 --> 00:21:51.110 and in the game of looking for it. And so they may not 360 00:21:51.809 --> 00:21:53.350 the number that they have 361 00:21:54.370 --> 00:21:58.630 may reflect what they've looked at already or what they've spent in the past. 362 00:21:59.644 --> 00:22:06.705 And that number may not be relevant to where they are today or what it's gonna take to get what they want once you've identified 363 00:22:07.085 --> 00:22:08.625 what the priorities are. 364 00:22:09.804 --> 00:22:10.945 And that number 365 00:22:12.690 --> 00:22:15.190 may also be that they have a number, 366 00:22:15.570 --> 00:22:19.190 but they're not they're a little reticent to share it with you 367 00:22:19.490 --> 00:22:20.230 right now, 368 00:22:20.610 --> 00:22:22.230 or they don't know. 369 00:22:22.530 --> 00:22:24.950 Because even though they've been looking 370 00:22:25.335 --> 00:22:28.955 what they've seen at the prices that they've seen it for 371 00:22:29.414 --> 00:22:31.434 doesn't line up. Like, they just 372 00:22:32.294 --> 00:22:34.955 they thought that they could get something for x, 373 00:22:35.335 --> 00:22:37.835 but what they have seen for x, 374 00:22:38.140 --> 00:22:41.200 the quality and is just not what they're looking for. 375 00:22:41.500 --> 00:22:42.000 So 376 00:22:42.620 --> 00:22:44.720 I wouldn't ask that out of the gate, 377 00:22:45.980 --> 00:22:51.360 but I would I would wanna find out what it is. And if you 378 00:22:51.660 --> 00:22:53.600 one of the ways to do it is 379 00:22:54.034 --> 00:23:01.654 if they find a rug that they like, let's say, if you're in Stephen King and they're you're at Stark and they find a rug that they like, 380 00:23:02.515 --> 00:23:05.975 and you could say the one that we're looking at in nine by 12 is, 381 00:23:06.995 --> 00:23:08.294 $98.50. 382 00:23:08.600 --> 00:23:10.540 Is that about what you had in mind? 383 00:23:10.760 --> 00:23:17.660 So if we don't get a number, we need to find a number so that we know if we're in the right world. 384 00:23:18.280 --> 00:23:21.660 And I know that every person everyone on this call 385 00:23:22.035 --> 00:23:22.535 has 386 00:23:23.155 --> 00:23:24.935 probably gotten a budget from someone 387 00:23:25.635 --> 00:23:29.575 and exceeded that budget because what you found is a solution 388 00:23:30.035 --> 00:23:31.335 was so magnificent 389 00:23:31.795 --> 00:23:33.255 that they had to have it. 390 00:23:33.795 --> 00:23:38.100 But what made that happen is that what you found is a solution 391 00:23:38.559 --> 00:23:39.940 aligned with their priorities 392 00:23:40.480 --> 00:23:41.220 so well 393 00:23:41.920 --> 00:23:44.500 that the cost became less significant. 394 00:23:45.040 --> 00:23:45.860 Not irrelevant, 395 00:23:46.240 --> 00:23:47.300 but less significant. 396 00:23:48.735 --> 00:23:49.235 Right? 397 00:23:49.455 --> 00:23:56.435 So of the five bad ass questions, two are about money, two are about time, and one is about other people. 398 00:23:56.655 --> 00:23:57.155 Because 399 00:23:57.855 --> 00:23:58.355 time, 400 00:23:58.655 --> 00:24:00.195 money, and other people 401 00:24:00.510 --> 00:24:04.130 are the three most common objections that we have to deal with. 402 00:24:04.190 --> 00:24:13.965 So we can either ask and get answers to these questions as discovery questions, or we can get very good at handling them as objections because it's gonna happen one way or another. 403 00:24:14.044 --> 00:24:19.265 But if you don't like that money conversation about discounts and can you do better on the price and all that stuff, 404 00:24:21.005 --> 00:24:25.664 then you better get that clear discovery because it should impact your selection. 405 00:24:26.429 --> 00:24:32.509 So the other the other the other money question is the a b a, is the ability to buy. 406 00:24:32.509 --> 00:24:37.169 And whether that is I know that for some some retail people who are on the on call, 407 00:24:37.549 --> 00:24:40.769 that would be talking I would I would bring that up indirectly 408 00:24:41.295 --> 00:24:41.795 talking 409 00:24:42.255 --> 00:24:43.715 about your financing promotion 410 00:24:44.095 --> 00:24:46.355 to say you are gonna take advantage of 411 00:24:46.735 --> 00:24:47.795 our no interest, 412 00:24:48.255 --> 00:24:48.755 promotion, 413 00:24:49.215 --> 00:24:49.955 aren't you? 414 00:24:50.735 --> 00:24:55.635 Because for a million reasons, I believe people should use financing to buy home furnishings 415 00:24:56.200 --> 00:25:02.380 because it just gives them it's easier to close if they can they have more buying power, and they usually 416 00:25:03.160 --> 00:25:06.360 qualify for much more than they use the first time. 417 00:25:06.360 --> 00:25:11.180 So you've got an open to buy that you can use for the rest of the year to help complete the room. 418 00:25:11.635 --> 00:25:12.375 With designers, 419 00:25:12.755 --> 00:25:16.215 I would it it would be talking about how it works, 420 00:25:16.515 --> 00:25:21.895 like how the payments work so that they are prepared to buy when they need to buy. 421 00:25:22.434 --> 00:25:22.934 Right? 422 00:25:23.440 --> 00:25:29.380 And I would say for trade showroom, it would be what the practices are for your particular showroom. 423 00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:34.100 So the ability to buy is a little bit more of an indirect question, 424 00:25:34.400 --> 00:25:35.300 but it represents 425 00:25:35.680 --> 00:25:36.740 what they have 426 00:25:37.120 --> 00:25:42.285 to spend, not what they expect to spend. And they're both related 427 00:25:42.985 --> 00:25:46.045 to the money. So that if someone were to say 428 00:25:46.585 --> 00:25:47.804 that's too expensive, 429 00:25:48.424 --> 00:25:50.765 too expensive is a comparative statement. 430 00:25:51.080 --> 00:25:55.660 It's gotta be compared to either what they have, what they think it's worth, 431 00:25:56.280 --> 00:25:57.820 right, or what they expected. 432 00:25:58.200 --> 00:25:59.900 It doesn't exist in a vacuum. 433 00:26:01.560 --> 00:26:03.980 So when they say it's too expensive, 434 00:26:04.695 --> 00:26:09.434 ask more questions about tell me more about that. I I hear that the money's a bit of a concern. 435 00:26:09.654 --> 00:26:11.995 Can you explain that a little bit more to me? 436 00:26:12.135 --> 00:26:19.674 Because giving a discount, like, not on my watch, giving a discount is not the first fall to it's not plan b. 437 00:26:20.210 --> 00:26:20.790 We wanna 438 00:26:21.330 --> 00:26:25.030 know what is the what's the financial criteria for this project, 439 00:26:25.490 --> 00:26:27.670 especially whether and for designers, 440 00:26:28.050 --> 00:26:30.870 what are they allocating for certain product categories 441 00:26:31.650 --> 00:26:33.910 so that you can know. Because you can, 442 00:26:34.235 --> 00:26:40.715 you know, steal from Peter to pay Paul a little bit if they love the rug so much and they allocated 7,500 443 00:26:40.715 --> 00:26:42.975 and the one that they love is 2,500. 444 00:26:43.115 --> 00:26:45.295 Take the 25 is is 10,000. 445 00:26:45.435 --> 00:26:48.175 Take the 2,500 out of another product category. 446 00:26:48.950 --> 00:26:52.570 Or get them to finance in equal payments. It makes it easier. 447 00:26:52.870 --> 00:26:57.290 Okay. So b a d. D stands for decision makers. 448 00:26:57.430 --> 00:27:00.090 And this is not about the politics of their relationship, 449 00:27:00.875 --> 00:27:05.775 but it's rather about is everyone here who needs to be here for us to go ahead. 450 00:27:07.035 --> 00:27:07.535 Right? 451 00:27:07.915 --> 00:27:13.535 That's it. And so if another person needs to be here, do they physically need to be here? 452 00:27:13.595 --> 00:27:18.650 Can we FaceTime them? Can we send them photos via text? Can we do it that way? 453 00:27:18.870 --> 00:27:26.790 And if we ask more questions about what proximity that decision that other decision make maker needs, it may not be physical. 454 00:27:26.790 --> 00:27:32.415 They don't have to sit in it. If they're looking to buy something, a recliner for Father's Day, 455 00:27:34.075 --> 00:27:35.535 they may need to be here. 456 00:27:36.875 --> 00:27:39.535 They may need to be here, but maybe not. 457 00:27:39.995 --> 00:27:40.895 If you understand, 458 00:27:41.355 --> 00:27:46.390 like, what their inseam is and their torso length and that stuff, you may be able to do it without it. 459 00:27:46.850 --> 00:27:50.230 But that's it in decision maker. Decision maker is also 460 00:27:51.169 --> 00:27:51.669 for, 461 00:27:52.850 --> 00:27:53.590 the maven, 462 00:27:54.210 --> 00:27:55.350 the person that 463 00:27:56.284 --> 00:27:59.184 comes with that person that's that's the buyer 464 00:27:59.965 --> 00:28:01.825 to help them with this. 465 00:28:02.205 --> 00:28:06.705 And I know that for many of us, we have it as we have a may we have 466 00:28:07.164 --> 00:28:10.225 the client or the customer, and we have the annoyance. 467 00:28:11.020 --> 00:28:13.760 But I would like I would invite you to consider that 468 00:28:14.300 --> 00:28:16.800 that maven, that friend that's an expert 469 00:28:17.340 --> 00:28:19.280 probably does this with other people. 470 00:28:19.660 --> 00:28:23.440 And we have this divide and conquer when we have this 471 00:28:24.245 --> 00:28:26.425 instead of seeing them as two buyers, 472 00:28:26.885 --> 00:28:27.625 one now 473 00:28:27.925 --> 00:28:30.665 and one later, or one with other people. 474 00:28:31.045 --> 00:28:36.265 So if that's been your strategy before to try to, like, well, whose house is this anyway? 475 00:28:36.485 --> 00:28:37.545 To do that stuff, 476 00:28:37.920 --> 00:28:42.500 Know that you've got someone who's a buyer for themselves and a helper for other people 477 00:28:42.800 --> 00:28:48.500 that we need this person because they trust them more than they trust us to make a good decision. 478 00:28:48.880 --> 00:28:52.340 What we don't have is a strategy to manage that situation. 479 00:28:52.845 --> 00:28:53.825 Try this. 480 00:28:55.005 --> 00:28:59.164 I would ask them since they're both laypeople. They're not designers. There's somebody with a flare. 481 00:28:59.164 --> 00:29:01.424 Right? They've got good taste, which is great. 482 00:29:01.804 --> 00:29:05.245 To say, could you both describe your home describe your homes to me? 483 00:29:05.245 --> 00:29:08.760 So you wanna get a sense of what their individual aesthetics are. 484 00:29:09.080 --> 00:29:12.460 You wanna listen for similarities and you wanna listen for difference. 485 00:29:13.000 --> 00:29:14.700 So with the Maven, 486 00:29:15.160 --> 00:29:16.460 you wanna say to them 487 00:29:17.080 --> 00:29:17.580 that 488 00:29:17.880 --> 00:29:22.860 she has expressed that what she really likes are neutral tones and textures. 489 00:29:22.920 --> 00:29:24.540 That's really what she likes. 490 00:29:24.755 --> 00:29:30.835 And what you've mentioned is that you like color in your room and you like the ability to mix pattern. 491 00:29:30.835 --> 00:29:33.095 Isn't that correct? And she's they say yes. 492 00:29:33.155 --> 00:29:37.175 And you say, for us to help her find neutrals with a lot of texture, 493 00:29:37.820 --> 00:29:43.260 if she finds something she likes, it may not be what you like, but we're gonna help her with this, aren't we? 494 00:29:43.260 --> 00:29:47.040 And she's gonna say yes. I'm saying women, but it doesn't have to be. 495 00:29:47.500 --> 00:29:52.560 So when she finds something that is in neutrals with texture and the maven says, 496 00:29:53.075 --> 00:29:58.375 I'm not loving it. You can say, of course, you're not loving it. It's not what you prefer. 497 00:29:58.835 --> 00:30:03.495 But given what she's working with, how do you think it works? Just reframe 498 00:30:03.795 --> 00:30:04.455 the question. 499 00:30:04.835 --> 00:30:08.775 And she's gotta say, yeah, I guess. It real it actually it does work. 500 00:30:09.770 --> 00:30:11.549 Right? They're here for a reason. 501 00:30:11.929 --> 00:30:15.710 The and I would send both of them thank you cards, both of them. 502 00:30:16.970 --> 00:30:20.350 This person will bring you business and help you close business. 503 00:30:20.730 --> 00:30:22.335 Okay. That's decision maker. 504 00:30:22.654 --> 00:30:26.034 Another a, availability and time frame. And 505 00:30:26.575 --> 00:30:27.475 that is, 506 00:30:29.375 --> 00:30:33.554 that is a couple of things, is that it's gonna tell you how long they've been in the process, 507 00:30:34.700 --> 00:30:39.100 what they've accomplished while they've been in it because you don't have a huge window. 508 00:30:39.100 --> 00:30:46.540 When people are out, especially furniture, when people are out shopping for furniture, you've got about a two week window from the time they physically start shopping. 509 00:30:46.540 --> 00:30:48.240 And this is not as much for designers 510 00:30:48.885 --> 00:30:52.185 as it is for retail salespeople, but you've got about a two week window. 511 00:30:52.325 --> 00:30:57.465 And if they don't close in that two week window, they're gonna they're they it furniture's delayable. 512 00:30:57.925 --> 00:31:01.865 They're gonna be out of the market until another life event drives them in. 513 00:31:02.110 --> 00:31:06.529 So rather than ask someone when do you need this, which is a typical way to ask the question, 514 00:31:07.309 --> 00:31:11.809 I encourage you to ask it as, is there an event coming up that you need this for 515 00:31:12.110 --> 00:31:18.775 or something special like an empty room that we need to work with? Because an event or an empty room 516 00:31:19.155 --> 00:31:21.975 are motivating factors that have them in the market 517 00:31:22.435 --> 00:31:23.335 to begin with. 518 00:31:24.515 --> 00:31:25.895 Right? To begin with. 519 00:31:26.835 --> 00:31:33.720 So if they are if they are motivated by an event coming up and you're selling special order something, 520 00:31:34.500 --> 00:31:35.000 then 521 00:31:35.300 --> 00:31:37.800 you need to say if it's a furniture 522 00:31:38.820 --> 00:31:41.560 or rugs that are gonna be special ordered or 523 00:31:42.260 --> 00:31:47.355 then you need to say, since you want this for this event, and that really is 524 00:31:47.835 --> 00:31:50.335 your absolute that's your top priority, 525 00:31:51.035 --> 00:31:52.174 can you be flexible 526 00:31:52.875 --> 00:31:54.655 with the style and the price? 527 00:31:55.195 --> 00:32:03.750 If you can, it gives us more options to help you find exactly what you're looking for in the sense of creating a beautiful room. 528 00:32:04.690 --> 00:32:07.910 Because when we get locked in sometimes with aesthetic, 529 00:32:08.290 --> 00:32:10.630 there are other ways what they imagine. 530 00:32:11.010 --> 00:32:13.270 There are other ways of solving this problem 531 00:32:13.570 --> 00:32:16.654 that they're not open to. So that question 532 00:32:17.195 --> 00:32:19.695 asks them to please be open 533 00:32:20.475 --> 00:32:22.014 because there may be something 534 00:32:22.634 --> 00:32:28.654 we don't want someone to say no to a sofa because of nail head trim if everything about the sofa 535 00:32:29.034 --> 00:32:29.695 is perfect 536 00:32:30.340 --> 00:32:31.720 and hits their priorities. 537 00:32:32.100 --> 00:32:37.000 So that's why we wanna present to understand what their priorities are so that we can present to those. 538 00:32:37.300 --> 00:32:40.680 So that's time frame. We wanna know when 539 00:32:41.060 --> 00:32:42.200 they need when 540 00:32:43.155 --> 00:32:47.715 what what they may say I have all the time in the world. And you say, great. 541 00:32:47.715 --> 00:32:51.015 Because what we're looking at right now, the sofa we're looking at right now 542 00:32:51.315 --> 00:32:54.755 is fourteen to sixteen weeks. Now I have a little production wheel. 543 00:32:54.755 --> 00:32:57.235 I'd show you, but it doesn't you can't see it on the screen. 544 00:32:57.235 --> 00:33:00.190 A production wheel that says, since since it's June 17, 545 00:33:00.730 --> 00:33:02.990 fourteen to sixteen weeks gets us here 546 00:33:03.290 --> 00:33:05.210 with installations gonna get us here. 547 00:33:05.210 --> 00:33:08.830 That would bring us to, I don't know what it is, like, October 2. 548 00:33:09.050 --> 00:33:11.310 And there's a, oh my god. That long? 549 00:33:11.845 --> 00:33:14.404 That's what the production wheel shows you. You say, yeah. 550 00:33:14.404 --> 00:33:19.125 So is there an event coming up between now and then that you need this for? And they now they think. 551 00:33:19.125 --> 00:33:20.804 And they think, no. No. No. 552 00:33:20.804 --> 00:33:24.664 I'll have it in time for Thanksgiving, which is at my house this year where it will be okay. 553 00:33:25.350 --> 00:33:27.290 Or if they're looking at something 554 00:33:28.070 --> 00:33:36.010 that has a tight time frame, either find something that's gonna make it within that or you say, in order for us to make this time frame 555 00:33:36.470 --> 00:33:37.850 of October 2, 556 00:33:38.470 --> 00:33:40.010 then we need to order this 557 00:33:40.955 --> 00:33:43.135 no later than tomorrow at 05:00. 558 00:33:44.395 --> 00:33:49.055 So that we actually either close it today or make an appointment to close it tomorrow. 559 00:33:49.275 --> 00:33:51.935 So that's what time is gonna help you to do. 560 00:33:52.475 --> 00:33:55.695 And most peep it's the easiest question for people to answer. 561 00:33:56.160 --> 00:34:00.180 Of all the questions, it's the easiest one because they actually know the answer to that. 562 00:34:00.560 --> 00:34:04.180 Okay. The last one is shopping and comparing. And, again, this is for everybody. 563 00:34:04.560 --> 00:34:08.719 So that I wanna know what else have you been looking at? Where have you been looking at it? 564 00:34:08.719 --> 00:34:12.465 What are you comparing us to? And I've really and this is probably 565 00:34:13.005 --> 00:34:15.425 the question that gets asked the least. 566 00:34:16.925 --> 00:34:17.824 And yet, 567 00:34:18.205 --> 00:34:22.145 it's what they're basing a lot of their conversation with us on 568 00:34:22.550 --> 00:34:25.849 is what they've already seen, researched, discovered. 569 00:34:26.389 --> 00:34:29.849 So just take a moment, take a breath, and ask them, 570 00:34:30.230 --> 00:34:32.489 where have you been shopping? What have you seen? 571 00:34:33.109 --> 00:34:34.250 What have you liked? 572 00:34:35.525 --> 00:34:39.864 What are you comparing us to? Because if they saw something that they like somewhere else, 573 00:34:40.245 --> 00:34:41.625 why are they still looking? 574 00:34:43.445 --> 00:34:47.625 And what kind of a commitment do they have to go back to where they were 575 00:34:48.005 --> 00:34:49.065 to find something? 576 00:34:51.130 --> 00:34:51.630 Right? 577 00:34:52.409 --> 00:34:52.909 So 578 00:34:53.609 --> 00:34:54.429 we've got 579 00:34:54.889 --> 00:34:56.190 the four bridge questions. 580 00:34:56.889 --> 00:35:00.810 What can you tell me about the ring the way it is? And the five bad ass questions. 581 00:35:00.810 --> 00:35:06.184 So it gives us, no matter what, these 10. We're gonna ask a lot of other questions. 582 00:35:06.724 --> 00:35:12.424 But these 10, we wanna know. I would also add to that the why now question. 583 00:35:13.845 --> 00:35:16.244 Like, why now? Why are you doing this now? 584 00:35:16.244 --> 00:35:21.540 Of all the things you could be doing, why are you taking this project on right now? 585 00:35:22.560 --> 00:35:28.500 What's going on in your life that this project, this it seems that this is a good time 586 00:35:28.800 --> 00:35:30.100 to start this project? 587 00:35:32.635 --> 00:35:36.734 Okay. So there are probably lots and lots of other questions to ask. 588 00:35:37.835 --> 00:35:41.295 Excuse me. But I hold those as the most important 589 00:35:41.755 --> 00:35:44.575 because it's going to tell me, is this meeting 590 00:35:45.194 --> 00:35:47.055 going to end in a sale today 591 00:35:47.410 --> 00:35:50.070 or is this meeting gonna end in an appointment today? 592 00:35:50.290 --> 00:35:53.990 Because if it's going to end in an appointment today and there we realize 593 00:35:54.290 --> 00:35:55.990 that there are some things missing 594 00:35:56.370 --> 00:35:57.110 from their 595 00:35:57.650 --> 00:35:59.110 decision making process 596 00:35:59.535 --> 00:36:02.275 that are germane to being able to make a decision, 597 00:36:02.655 --> 00:36:04.835 then that is what I'm gonna call 598 00:36:05.295 --> 00:36:05.795 homework. 599 00:36:07.615 --> 00:36:10.734 They need to bring someone back, that's gonna be your homework. 600 00:36:10.734 --> 00:36:13.990 I need to double check the measurement, That's gonna be your homework. 601 00:36:14.369 --> 00:36:16.550 Because what does homework insinuate? 602 00:36:16.930 --> 00:36:17.670 It insinuates 603 00:36:18.130 --> 00:36:19.589 we're gonna have another meeting. 604 00:36:20.130 --> 00:36:22.790 Right? You don't get homework on your last day of school. 605 00:36:24.050 --> 00:36:27.430 You may get a reading list for the next class, but you don't get 606 00:36:27.895 --> 00:36:28.395 homework. 607 00:36:28.855 --> 00:36:32.075 So homework is something that is gonna keep them tethered 608 00:36:32.455 --> 00:36:33.195 to us. 609 00:36:34.775 --> 00:36:38.315 Right? Because we give them work to do. And like all relationships, 610 00:36:39.095 --> 00:36:44.960 the more invested they are, and this comes with what they share in answering our questions and discussion. 611 00:36:46.220 --> 00:36:48.400 Excuse me. The the more 612 00:36:49.020 --> 00:36:53.360 invested they are in doing work with us, with you 613 00:36:53.994 --> 00:36:56.815 on this project, it increases the likelihood 614 00:36:57.115 --> 00:37:02.095 that they're going to buy from you. The more work you do without them, 615 00:37:03.275 --> 00:37:08.494 the more invested you are in closing them, but that's not how the process works. 616 00:37:10.020 --> 00:37:14.500 Right? The process works, but they need to be invested in closing with you. 617 00:37:14.500 --> 00:37:17.480 They need to want to buy from you. 618 00:37:17.940 --> 00:37:18.920 Goes back to, 619 00:37:19.300 --> 00:37:23.720 you know, it's better to have something that people wanna buy than it is to have something to sell. 620 00:37:26.015 --> 00:37:26.515 Okay. 621 00:37:27.055 --> 00:37:27.954 So that's 622 00:37:29.535 --> 00:37:30.515 I've been talking. 623 00:37:31.055 --> 00:37:35.795 Now given that given those questions, I would love to hear any other questions you, 624 00:37:36.510 --> 00:37:40.370 that you find are really important. Questions to ask as part of your discovery process, 625 00:37:40.990 --> 00:37:41.490 other, 626 00:37:42.270 --> 00:37:50.370 or anything else that you either are challenged by or how to ask that question or if I don't bring it up, then maybe nothing will come of it. 627 00:37:50.865 --> 00:37:52.085 Anything that you are 628 00:37:52.385 --> 00:37:55.605 you are challenged by with asking discovery questions. 629 00:37:56.305 --> 00:37:58.645 I'm gonna put glasses on now so I can see you. 630 00:37:59.105 --> 00:38:03.585 Hey, Jody. It's Jen at Decorative. Hey, Jen. How are you? Good to see you. Good. I know. 631 00:38:03.585 --> 00:38:05.685 It's been a long time. Good to see you. Been. 632 00:38:06.510 --> 00:38:12.670 We have quite a few staff on today, and I wanted to ask your opinion. What we seem to struggle with, 633 00:38:13.070 --> 00:38:16.670 in our sales process because our projects are so far out Yes. 634 00:38:16.750 --> 00:38:19.890 We just Tori has one right now that we've been on for four years. 635 00:38:20.795 --> 00:38:25.535 What I find most of our team struggles with is asking the status or timeline questions. 636 00:38:26.555 --> 00:38:29.535 And this is not necessarily the person they're in front of. Oftentimes, 637 00:38:29.995 --> 00:38:34.095 it's the builder or the tile installer, but most of the time it's the builder. 638 00:38:35.640 --> 00:38:43.579 What do you recommend for or what are some questions or some ways to frame those kind of questions to find out what the client's timeline is and when they should follow-up? 639 00:38:44.599 --> 00:38:45.980 Which meeting is it? 640 00:38:46.760 --> 00:38:47.260 So, 641 00:38:47.735 --> 00:38:50.055 generally, the first meeting, we like to get an idea. 642 00:38:50.055 --> 00:38:54.395 They have a whole contact sheet with your bad ass questions noted in tiny little font. 643 00:38:55.335 --> 00:38:57.435 But they really need to know, like, 644 00:38:57.815 --> 00:39:01.020 when is this project gonna happen? When do I need material on site? 645 00:39:01.020 --> 00:39:03.440 Because we set our entire follow-up cadence 646 00:39:03.900 --> 00:39:05.580 based on that date. Correct. 647 00:39:05.580 --> 00:39:11.020 And I find that some of our team has a tough time asking that question, or if the designer doesn't know, they're 648 00:39:11.500 --> 00:39:13.600 they don't necessarily take the next steps. 649 00:39:14.305 --> 00:39:18.885 Okay. So what if so are you is one of your questions do you have a contractor already? 650 00:39:19.585 --> 00:39:20.085 Yes. 651 00:39:20.385 --> 00:39:22.005 Okay. So that's one of them. So, 652 00:39:23.185 --> 00:39:26.805 so are you going to when you ask if they have a contractor, 653 00:39:27.230 --> 00:39:31.650 do you say, can I get contact information for all of the principals on the project? 654 00:39:34.349 --> 00:39:38.829 I do, but that's a great question for our team. Well, I would do that. First, I would do that. 655 00:39:38.829 --> 00:39:42.690 I would get all con because the again, the more that they invest in you, 656 00:39:43.035 --> 00:39:46.494 then then you're you're just assuming that they're gonna buy from you. 657 00:39:46.875 --> 00:39:52.395 Right. Right? So I would say, what's the timeline? Like, when do you need I would ask that. 658 00:39:52.395 --> 00:39:54.255 But what I would wanna know is, 659 00:39:54.635 --> 00:39:58.619 if it's not being asked, what is it about the question 660 00:39:59.160 --> 00:40:01.339 that that has people hesitate? 661 00:40:05.160 --> 00:40:06.040 I'm not sure either. 662 00:40:06.040 --> 00:40:10.609 We have some of our staff on here if anybody wants to chime in, any hurdles that you've had. But, 663 00:40:11.235 --> 00:40:14.435 what I find is they forget sometimes, but there's Jackie. What do you have, Jackie? 664 00:40:14.435 --> 00:40:16.215 Well, I was just gonna say it's 665 00:40:16.675 --> 00:40:22.135 for me, at least, on on those long ones, and I know that I've brought that to your attention that I struggle with that. 666 00:40:23.155 --> 00:40:24.375 It's almost like 667 00:40:25.110 --> 00:40:29.350 nobody actually does know what's going on, so then I keep asking, and then it's like 668 00:40:30.390 --> 00:40:41.845 and I'm asking the project manager or or or sometimes it's like, I'm even just trying to get the builder's contact information and the designer doesn't know yet, and I'm just, just I guess I'm just, like, asking over and over again. 669 00:40:44.385 --> 00:40:45.445 That or, 670 00:40:46.545 --> 00:40:49.445 again, it's it's it's like a moving target. So, 671 00:40:49.985 --> 00:40:55.540 like and I know that other sales consultants have run into this too where it's like, oh, it's it's gonna close, 672 00:40:56.800 --> 00:40:58.420 like like, we need it yesterday, 673 00:40:58.720 --> 00:41:02.100 and then this drag goes on for, like, three or four months sometimes. 674 00:41:03.280 --> 00:41:08.160 So I think I would be so, Jackie, that's helpful. So one of the things that 675 00:41:09.275 --> 00:41:13.135 and this is not always, but one of the things like, I don't ask designers 676 00:41:13.435 --> 00:41:15.295 when the installation date is because 677 00:41:16.475 --> 00:41:19.915 they often say we don't know. So I don't wanna go down that road. 678 00:41:19.915 --> 00:41:24.175 So instead, I would say when is the client expecting to be using this space? 679 00:41:26.520 --> 00:41:30.620 Because they're they are deciding whether they're gonna have the holidays there. 680 00:41:31.160 --> 00:41:33.820 They're gonna have they they someone's having that conversation. 681 00:41:34.600 --> 00:41:37.640 Right? So when is the client expecting to be using this space? 682 00:41:37.640 --> 00:41:40.395 So that we can have a working time look. Say it. 683 00:41:40.395 --> 00:41:42.895 I'm gonna create a working timeline for this project. 684 00:41:44.635 --> 00:41:46.255 But it's it's one of those 685 00:41:47.115 --> 00:41:49.535 that I think it is we're putting ourselves 686 00:41:49.995 --> 00:41:51.535 in the driver's seat 687 00:41:52.089 --> 00:41:52.589 here. 688 00:41:52.890 --> 00:41:57.710 And that may be something that makes people uncomfortable, but I would say as a salesperson, 689 00:41:58.170 --> 00:42:00.109 you've gotta be in the driver's seat. 690 00:42:01.130 --> 00:42:03.290 You can't be a passenger in this one. 691 00:42:03.290 --> 00:42:08.235 And so I would say if I can get the contact information for all all of the principal 692 00:42:08.855 --> 00:42:09.355 contractors 693 00:42:09.655 --> 00:42:12.235 on the project so that when I communicate, 694 00:42:12.615 --> 00:42:15.515 I'm gonna communicate with everyone so that you know 695 00:42:16.135 --> 00:42:18.395 everyone is on the on the same 696 00:42:19.400 --> 00:42:19.900 message, 697 00:42:20.200 --> 00:42:22.540 on the same timeline, on the same message. 698 00:42:24.200 --> 00:42:27.500 I won't inundate you with information you don't need, 699 00:42:27.880 --> 00:42:34.885 but for anything that changes or the people need to be kept abreast of, and you might put the homeowner on it so that everybody 700 00:42:35.185 --> 00:42:35.685 knows. 701 00:42:36.465 --> 00:42:40.245 I think that we get afraid of being that bold or that, 702 00:42:41.825 --> 00:42:42.325 directing, 703 00:42:42.625 --> 00:42:44.325 but we kinda have to. 704 00:42:45.430 --> 00:42:46.650 Would you agree, Jen? 705 00:42:48.630 --> 00:42:49.130 Absolutely. 706 00:42:49.670 --> 00:42:53.210 Yes. We just talked we just had a sales training on being the influencer. 707 00:42:53.350 --> 00:42:56.090 And when that disappears, how you lose track of the sale. 708 00:42:56.710 --> 00:43:00.490 And I was hoping this would be a follow-up so they could ask their questions about 709 00:43:01.055 --> 00:43:04.095 how to collect their timeline and how to when to follow-up. 710 00:43:04.095 --> 00:43:09.935 And, you know, a lot of them are afraid of being annoying or too pushy, and it's not annoying at all. 711 00:43:09.935 --> 00:43:11.315 You're actually helping them. 712 00:43:12.095 --> 00:43:14.440 So I just was wondering if you had other ways to phrase that. 713 00:43:14.440 --> 00:43:17.740 Well, I would say if you if you have an intake sheet, 714 00:43:18.440 --> 00:43:26.300 really use it and always use it so that so consider this. If you were to go to a surgeon 715 00:43:27.255 --> 00:43:36.795 to have your tonsils out as an adult, which would be probably a horrible thing, but to have your tonsils out and your surgeon said, I think we'll go in the through your ears this time. 716 00:43:36.934 --> 00:43:39.810 It's like that would be a stupid thing, and you wouldn't trust them. 717 00:43:40.130 --> 00:43:45.430 So when you use, when you've got a system, be creative with your aesthetic solutions. 718 00:43:45.810 --> 00:43:51.990 Don't get creative with your system. Use a system that you trust that you do all the time 719 00:43:52.535 --> 00:43:57.115 so that you know you've got your bases covered because you are you are 720 00:43:57.415 --> 00:44:01.915 trustworthy to be able to check that stuff off, that you covered all your bases. 721 00:44:05.575 --> 00:44:07.435 All the top producers do that. 722 00:44:07.860 --> 00:44:09.640 Get creative with your solution, 723 00:44:10.100 --> 00:44:11.240 not with your system. 724 00:44:14.020 --> 00:44:16.040 Good. Any other questions, Jen? 725 00:44:18.100 --> 00:44:19.665 No. I think we're good. Thank you. 726 00:44:20.145 --> 00:44:29.685 I just wanted to comment that I have started to ask when the client is gonna be using the space, and I feel like that actually does give me an answer a lot Exactly. 727 00:44:29.825 --> 00:44:30.885 More often than 728 00:44:31.345 --> 00:44:32.325 what's the timeline 729 00:44:32.705 --> 00:44:33.445 on this? 730 00:44:34.370 --> 00:44:35.170 So here's the thing. 731 00:44:35.170 --> 00:44:40.310 So I know we've got designers on the so except for Susan Shulman, who's on this call. 732 00:44:40.530 --> 00:44:44.790 So I know but she would go along with what I'm gonna say. That you are 733 00:44:45.250 --> 00:44:46.470 if you're a 734 00:44:47.125 --> 00:44:47.945 trade salesperson 735 00:44:48.405 --> 00:44:49.625 selling through designers, 736 00:44:50.245 --> 00:44:54.105 you are selling through the selling skills of that designer. 737 00:44:55.285 --> 00:44:58.425 And you you gotta know that you're gonna ask them questions 738 00:44:59.205 --> 00:45:02.025 that they have not cleared with their clients yet. 739 00:45:02.950 --> 00:45:07.690 And they might say, I don't know. But what it might be is that they haven't asked yet. 740 00:45:08.230 --> 00:45:10.070 They just don't know yet. 741 00:45:10.070 --> 00:45:14.010 But it doesn't mean that everyone doesn't need to have that question discussed. 742 00:45:14.845 --> 00:45:18.065 So just know that. And your questions 743 00:45:18.685 --> 00:45:19.585 and the more 744 00:45:20.125 --> 00:45:20.865 the more, 745 00:45:23.165 --> 00:45:28.625 consistent you are with the questions that you ask, especially if you're working with some designers with regularity, 746 00:45:29.460 --> 00:45:31.640 you will make them better salespeople 747 00:45:32.260 --> 00:45:36.680 by the questions you ask them and expect that they should have an answer to. 748 00:45:36.980 --> 00:45:39.880 So just take it on. We're all in this together. We're a community. 749 00:45:45.075 --> 00:45:46.135 Okay. Other questions 750 00:45:46.755 --> 00:45:47.255 about 751 00:45:47.795 --> 00:45:50.135 hi, Shar. Other questions about asking 752 00:45:50.755 --> 00:45:51.975 discovery questions. 753 00:45:57.690 --> 00:45:58.510 Yes. Sure. 754 00:46:07.450 --> 00:46:12.349 Let's say you're I'm thinking specifically I'm in a meeting with four people. 755 00:46:14.595 --> 00:46:16.375 I'm not exactly sure. 756 00:46:18.355 --> 00:46:20.135 I know the boss should be 757 00:46:21.075 --> 00:46:25.575 the person that I'm directing questions to, but it became really obvious in the meeting 758 00:46:25.875 --> 00:46:27.655 that there was another employee 759 00:46:28.180 --> 00:46:32.520 that seemed to think that she was going to run the show. When you have a group, 760 00:46:33.780 --> 00:46:40.920 how do you discern who is the person who's needs to answer those questions so that questions need to be directed to? 761 00:46:40.980 --> 00:46:43.640 Or you just open it up to whoever's there? 762 00:46:44.715 --> 00:46:46.255 So I think I would probably 763 00:46:46.875 --> 00:46:49.055 do fall cover that in preparation. 764 00:46:49.835 --> 00:46:53.855 I would ask who is gonna be coming to the meeting and what role they play. 765 00:46:55.595 --> 00:46:56.880 Right? I would do that. 766 00:46:56.960 --> 00:47:03.140 And then when you start the meeting, I don't know if you if this is customary for you, but, again, systems and consistency. 767 00:47:03.759 --> 00:47:05.859 I would start the meeting by saying 768 00:47:06.240 --> 00:47:08.819 my objective for this meeting today is x, 769 00:47:09.119 --> 00:47:11.539 and I would love to know what your objectives are. 770 00:47:14.155 --> 00:47:16.255 And you might ask again since we have 771 00:47:16.555 --> 00:47:19.535 lots of you and this is what we're looking to decide today. 772 00:47:24.720 --> 00:47:26.660 No. I wouldn't. I wouldn't say that. 773 00:47:26.880 --> 00:47:33.619 I would I was gonna think of maybe I should ask for any particular preferences or something, but I think I would leave that alone. 774 00:47:34.320 --> 00:47:36.180 That might be opening something that 775 00:47:36.815 --> 00:47:37.955 better left quiet. 776 00:47:38.255 --> 00:47:38.755 Mhmm. 777 00:47:39.135 --> 00:47:40.035 But preparation, 778 00:47:40.575 --> 00:47:47.055 whoever your contact is to ask who's gonna be at the meeting and what role will they play in the in the decision that we're there to, 779 00:47:49.135 --> 00:47:49.635 confirm. 780 00:47:52.910 --> 00:47:56.370 Okay. I found it asking questions when someone just walks in the showroom. 781 00:47:57.390 --> 00:47:57.890 Okay. 782 00:47:58.190 --> 00:48:03.090 So here we go. So, I found that asking questions when someone just walks in the showroom 783 00:48:03.390 --> 00:48:05.570 can make them more skeptical and withdrawn. 784 00:48:06.030 --> 00:48:09.335 What is your guidance for how to not feel pushy 785 00:48:09.635 --> 00:48:12.615 or turn them off by giving them attention? It's a hard balance. 786 00:48:13.715 --> 00:48:15.175 I think that when 787 00:48:15.635 --> 00:48:18.215 so this sounds like is this a trade showroom 788 00:48:18.995 --> 00:48:20.295 or a retail showroom? 789 00:48:23.590 --> 00:48:25.050 Both. Okay. Excellent. 790 00:48:29.510 --> 00:48:30.810 Well, I think that 791 00:48:31.110 --> 00:48:35.770 well, I'm gonna answer it this way. But mostly mostly trade, we get general shoppers. 792 00:48:37.565 --> 00:48:39.905 I think that in trade showrooms, what's 793 00:48:42.205 --> 00:48:46.705 I think that when someone enters a trade showroom, when a designer or 794 00:48:47.005 --> 00:48:53.460 when someone walks into a trade showroom, who is whoever is closest to the door should stand up 795 00:48:55.200 --> 00:48:59.140 and look at them and say welcome and say thanks for coming in 796 00:49:00.000 --> 00:49:04.099 or something or just like and be gracious and welcoming. 797 00:49:04.775 --> 00:49:07.835 I think that we should do that, and I don't see it happening. 798 00:49:07.895 --> 00:49:10.955 I go into a trade showroom and people are in their computers, 799 00:49:11.255 --> 00:49:15.515 and they just assume that if there are questions, they'll ask. And that contributes 800 00:49:16.055 --> 00:49:17.995 to how what doesn't happen 801 00:49:18.670 --> 00:49:20.450 with that incoming opportunity. 802 00:49:21.310 --> 00:49:23.810 So I think that we need to be as gracious 803 00:49:25.710 --> 00:49:26.210 and 804 00:49:27.150 --> 00:49:29.010 in and warm and engaging 805 00:49:30.030 --> 00:49:30.530 with 806 00:49:31.125 --> 00:49:32.345 that opportunity 807 00:49:32.965 --> 00:49:34.985 as we would be at the Ritz Carlton 808 00:49:35.605 --> 00:49:37.145 if we worked at the Ritz Carlton. 809 00:49:37.685 --> 00:49:42.665 But I think especially when you're selling luxury products, we need to deliver a luxury experience. 810 00:49:43.365 --> 00:49:43.865 And 811 00:49:44.200 --> 00:49:47.340 there's and it's not like luxury experience like 812 00:49:48.040 --> 00:49:49.340 in Pretty Woman 813 00:49:49.800 --> 00:49:52.380 that we get to be snobby with people, 814 00:49:52.760 --> 00:50:00.835 but rather the higher up we go in the price of the product that we sell, the more lovely we need to be, the more lovely 815 00:50:01.214 --> 00:50:02.194 we need to be. 816 00:50:02.895 --> 00:50:04.674 And it's hard to resist lovely. 817 00:50:04.895 --> 00:50:11.954 When we truly are glad to see them and we don't look up and find them to be a distraction from what we're already doing, 818 00:50:12.335 --> 00:50:14.515 then something's probably gonna happen. 819 00:50:15.300 --> 00:50:18.040 But that would be you raise a great point 820 00:50:18.420 --> 00:50:23.240 because we there's a phrase that set in selling that says you can't close what you don't open. 821 00:50:23.860 --> 00:50:28.520 Right? So that if we don't create an opening with them when they come into the showroom, 822 00:50:28.835 --> 00:50:31.255 it's unlikely that anything else is gonna happen. 823 00:50:31.714 --> 00:50:32.214 However, 824 00:50:32.595 --> 00:50:35.575 they don't have to be in love with us at the front door. 825 00:50:36.515 --> 00:50:38.115 They have to just be 826 00:50:39.234 --> 00:50:43.230 we have to start to melt the ice. They're coming in afraid. 827 00:50:43.230 --> 00:50:45.490 They're coming in I don't know if I belong here. 828 00:50:45.630 --> 00:50:48.850 I you know, I don't know what I'm they're coming in afraid of something, 829 00:50:49.230 --> 00:50:52.130 and what we need to be is absolutely wonderful. 830 00:50:52.590 --> 00:50:59.525 There's a phrase that Lou Holt it's one of my favorite phrases that Lou Holtz said that really applies to people coming into a showroom. 831 00:51:00.145 --> 00:51:04.885 And that is when people need love and understanding the most is when they deserve it the least. 832 00:51:04.945 --> 00:51:14.230 So when they come in and they're fearful and they're they don't look at us and they don't talk to us and they're on their phone and all that stuff, that we think, oh my god, they should be nicer to me. 833 00:51:14.450 --> 00:51:16.869 Like that, like, let's take the shit away 834 00:51:17.250 --> 00:51:20.850 and let's just think, alright. They're fearful. Something's going on with them. 835 00:51:20.850 --> 00:51:22.230 I need to break the ice 836 00:51:22.690 --> 00:51:23.190 and 837 00:51:23.694 --> 00:51:26.355 the the and just be gracious and engaging 838 00:51:27.214 --> 00:51:29.555 so that we can start asking questions. 839 00:51:30.015 --> 00:51:37.954 We wanna create enough of a connection at the door that we can start some chatter about the weather in summer or something 840 00:51:38.390 --> 00:51:42.490 or what they're wearing or something so that we can say, I could talk about 841 00:51:44.150 --> 00:51:45.690 I don't know. I could talk about 842 00:51:46.150 --> 00:51:50.070 summer gardening all day, but I know you came in for something special. 843 00:51:50.070 --> 00:51:52.650 So what can I help you accomplish today? 844 00:51:52.825 --> 00:51:57.965 That's where that first bridge question as a pivot from social chatter to a business conversation 845 00:51:58.585 --> 00:51:59.805 comes in really handy. 846 00:52:00.345 --> 00:52:03.965 So I don't know if I answered your question that that way, 847 00:52:04.425 --> 00:52:09.910 but if we if we just know that they are that, they're skeptical and withdrawn 848 00:52:10.370 --> 00:52:12.310 and it's really out of fear, 849 00:52:12.770 --> 00:52:14.470 then who can I be 850 00:52:14.850 --> 00:52:15.670 as welcoming 851 00:52:16.130 --> 00:52:16.950 and approachable 852 00:52:17.745 --> 00:52:22.725 and warm to let them feel know that they're in the right place will go 853 00:52:23.425 --> 00:52:23.925 miles 854 00:52:24.625 --> 00:52:28.785 for getting them to to open up and and answer your questions? And I hope I answered yours. 855 00:52:28.785 --> 00:52:29.845 You're very welcome. 856 00:52:30.510 --> 00:52:33.570 Okay. Let's do one more. Oh my gosh. Oh, hi. 857 00:52:33.870 --> 00:52:34.690 Faith Smith. 858 00:52:35.310 --> 00:52:38.110 I work at Malouf. Is it based on location, walk in clients? 859 00:52:38.110 --> 00:52:41.410 A lot of these condo owners aren't local, don't have much time. 860 00:52:41.550 --> 00:52:44.930 Most of our items are true custom and lead time, six to eight. 861 00:52:45.245 --> 00:52:48.385 We lose a lot of business by they don't have grab and go. 862 00:52:48.605 --> 00:52:56.145 How do we help ease the harshness that they have such a long wait time in in most times, even though our showroom is 60,000 square feet, 863 00:52:57.405 --> 00:52:58.225 do you think 864 00:52:58.850 --> 00:53:00.550 we should have a grab and go? 865 00:53:01.250 --> 00:53:03.830 You might have so thank you for that, Faith. 866 00:53:04.050 --> 00:53:08.310 You might have some items that are less, but if we ask the badass questions 867 00:53:08.770 --> 00:53:09.830 and find out 868 00:53:10.290 --> 00:53:13.750 I and and this is true. So I know that there are people here from Colorado 869 00:53:14.255 --> 00:53:21.315 who have people in the mountains, that they're only in the mountain house, you know, a few times a year, and when they go there, they're there to get stuff done. 870 00:53:21.535 --> 00:53:23.955 So if we were to ask them say 871 00:53:24.575 --> 00:53:28.035 so I think I've done this with you before, but I'm gonna give it to you again. 872 00:53:28.255 --> 00:53:32.059 The word since followed by a fact followed by a question. Since 873 00:53:33.559 --> 00:53:35.500 since you're only here for the weekend, 874 00:53:36.039 --> 00:53:39.660 can we make some preliminary decisions of what we wanna do? 875 00:53:39.720 --> 00:53:42.059 And then we can work on this as we go along. 876 00:53:42.520 --> 00:53:43.020 Or 877 00:53:43.505 --> 00:53:46.965 something to say, since we are primarily special order, 878 00:53:47.825 --> 00:53:51.685 if we could work on the project so that we could have this in time for 879 00:53:51.985 --> 00:53:56.005 when you need it in your home, would that be a workable solution for you? 880 00:53:56.305 --> 00:53:56.805 Because 881 00:53:57.950 --> 00:53:59.950 desperate decisions are rarely good ones. 882 00:53:59.950 --> 00:54:09.170 And when people buy things quickly because they're desperate to get it because they only have today to buy it, there's a difference between buying something and having it delivered. 883 00:54:09.390 --> 00:54:11.890 They can satisfy that that gratification 884 00:54:12.349 --> 00:54:12.849 need 885 00:54:13.194 --> 00:54:17.295 by making a decision today. They don't have to have it delivered today 886 00:54:17.674 --> 00:54:18.174 unless 887 00:54:18.635 --> 00:54:19.454 there is 888 00:54:20.555 --> 00:54:25.375 an event that they're they're having it today. And in which case, I would go for the 889 00:54:26.880 --> 00:54:30.740 you must have something in clearance that they could buy. But let's imagine that 890 00:54:31.279 --> 00:54:33.940 those aren't the majority of your people. 891 00:54:34.240 --> 00:54:38.339 You're just looking for a way to be gracious and help them. Did that help you? 892 00:54:42.445 --> 00:54:42.945 Okay. 893 00:54:44.205 --> 00:54:44.705 Okay. 894 00:54:45.005 --> 00:54:46.145 Any other question? 895 00:54:47.165 --> 00:54:48.785 Thank you, Faith, for that one. 896 00:54:52.440 --> 00:54:55.820 Okay. So for the sales associates, 897 00:54:56.520 --> 00:55:01.560 make these questions yours, and you're gonna get the recording and the AI summary of this as well. 898 00:55:01.560 --> 00:55:03.980 But make these a practice for you. 899 00:55:04.040 --> 00:55:08.140 For the sales managers who are on the call and, Jesse, I see that you're here too. 900 00:55:09.135 --> 00:55:09.635 Please 901 00:55:10.095 --> 00:55:13.315 build this into your observations and coaching. 902 00:55:13.775 --> 00:55:21.075 Because if you were to look at deals that are lost and you ask them what prevented them from buying, and they say it was too expensive, 903 00:55:21.455 --> 00:55:26.050 and you say, when you ask that as a discovery question, what did they tell you? 904 00:55:26.050 --> 00:55:28.710 And they say, I didn't ask and get an answer. 905 00:55:29.090 --> 00:55:31.510 We're back to they're not asking those questions. 906 00:55:31.810 --> 00:55:32.790 And as salespeople, 907 00:55:33.490 --> 00:55:38.224 we have it is it is our life work that we are always, always 908 00:55:38.605 --> 00:55:42.224 going to be looking to ask more and better discovery questions. 909 00:55:42.605 --> 00:55:43.505 So getting 910 00:55:43.964 --> 00:55:44.464 facile 911 00:55:44.845 --> 00:55:50.944 with asking questions until we find out what we need to know, to know what we need to know about this buyer, 912 00:55:51.920 --> 00:55:55.460 that then the questions don't stop. You just have to keep asking them. 913 00:55:55.520 --> 00:55:58.480 And if you leave this call and say, oh my gosh. 914 00:55:58.480 --> 00:56:02.320 I'm still not asking enough questions, then that was time well spent. 915 00:56:02.320 --> 00:56:05.220 Because that's true of all of us as salespeople. 916 00:56:05.920 --> 00:56:08.555 We're not asking enough questions. We're just not. 917 00:56:08.855 --> 00:56:14.474 We're just not. And our objections that we're getting or the reasons not to buy that we're getting 918 00:56:14.935 --> 00:56:21.355 that prevent them from buying with us are the indicators that we're not asking them where they belong, which is in discovery. 919 00:56:22.295 --> 00:56:22.795 So, 920 00:56:24.400 --> 00:56:25.860 I hope this has been helpful, 921 00:56:26.560 --> 00:56:29.760 and it's been just delightful to have all of you on the call. 922 00:56:29.760 --> 00:56:31.620 And we do this, as you know, every month. 923 00:56:32.000 --> 00:56:34.560 And so thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And, 924 00:56:35.120 --> 00:56:38.580 please keep in touch, and I'll make sure all of you get the recording of this. 925 00:56:39.373 --> 00:56:41.793 Alright. So go make gold for June. No. 926 00:56:42.413 --> 00:56:44.353 Thank you, Cody. Thanks. Bye.