Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

These questions come from my friend and sales trainer for over 30 years - David Cooper.  David is a friend of mine and he tells me that the way you`re supposed to say these questions is typically in a soft voice while smiling and nodding.

1.              Can you get excited about……………..?

2.            Do you see the value of………………..?

3.              Do you see the benefit of…………….. ?

4.              Can you see the merit in………………?

5.              Wouldn’t it be terrific if………………?

6.               Aren’t you glad that ………………….?

7.               Aren’t you looking forward to………..?

8.               Doesn’t it make sense to ……………..?

9.               Don’t you agree ………………………?

10.          Isn’t it going to be fun when………….?

11.          Isn’t it about time that ………………..?

12.          Doesn’t it give you confidence to know…….?

13.          Wouldn’t it be worth while to find…………..?

14.          Can you see the advantage of………………..?

15.          Wouldn’t it be reassuring to…………………?

16.          Don’t you feel that …………………………..?

17.          Wouldn’t it be great to save money by………?

18.          Aren’t you really excited that ……………….?

19.          Won’t it be gratifying when…………………?

20.          Isn’t it good to know…………………………?

21.          Wouldn’t it be marvelous to ………………...?

22.          Haven’t you enjoyed…………………………?

23.          Haven’t you benefited by……………………?

24.          Wouldn’t you be happy to find……………...?

25.          Aren’t you happy to know…………………..?

26.          Aren’t you anxious to know………………...?

27.          Isn’t it fantastic to know…………………….?

28.          Isn’t it wonderful to find…………………….?

29.          Wouldn’t it be satisfying to know…………..?

30.          Isn’t it worth considering that……………...?

31.          Wouldn’t you prefer………………………..?

32.          Don’t you feel that it is best if……………..?

33.          Don’t you feel knowing that……………….?

34.          Can’t you see how this would……………...?

35.          Wouldn’t it be significant if……………….?

36.          Wouldn’t you like to strive for…………….?

37.          Wouldn’t a higher quality life be worth……?

38.          Wouldn’t it be tremendous if………………?

39.          Wouldn’t you agree………………………..?

40.          Wouldn’t it be great………………………..?

41.          Wouldn’t it open doors if………………….?

42.          Isn’t it worth……………………………….?

43.          Wouldn’t you benefit by…………………..?

44.          Can you gain from…………….…………..?

45.          What do you think about………………….?

46.          Isn’t that exciting………………………….?

47.          Wouldn’t you feel better if………………..?

48.          If the results were…………………………?

49.          Wouldn’t it change your mind if………….?

50.          Wouldn’t you reach the top quicker by…...?

51.          Wouldn’t it help your career if…………...?

52.          Do you feel the power in………………….?

53.          Isn’t it stimulating when………………….?

54.          Don’t you know that………………………?

55.          Wouldn’t a highlight be…………………..?

56.          Couldn’t it light up your life………………?

57.          Aren’t you delighted that…………………?

58.          Doesn’t it thrill you to know……………...?

59.          Wouldn’t you be pleased if……………….?

60.          Wouldn’t you take pride in……………….?

61.          Wouldn’t it be motivating to……………..?

62.          Wouldn’t you love to grow by……………?

63.          Isn’t it inspiring to know…………………?

64.          Wouldn’t it make a difference if…………?

65.          Wouldn’t your success be guaranteed if….?

66.          Wouldn’t you enjoy knowing…………….?

67.          Do you realize the importance of…………?

68.          Wouldn’t your family enjoy……………..?

69.          Can you see the potential of……………..?

70.          Wouldn’t it be comforting to know………?

71.          Wouldn’t it be an exciting challenge if…..?

72.          Isn’t it going to be incredible when……...?

73.          Could you reach more of your potential by..?

74.          Can you visualize the monetary gain of……?

 

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PS: Does the thought of marketing drive you to chocolate? I`m looking for a very special woman who loves her business but hates selling and marketing. Tell me about your business and your challenges and I`ll tell you how I can help you have more fun, feel more confident and make a lot more money. All my marketing mentoring clients get results. Visit me at http://www.MentoringwithDenise.com

A little redundant ?  Can it be reduced to 25.  Sorry, I could not resist.

How do I see the benefit of these questions? :-)

Hi Rumpelstiltskin:

Sure - it probably could be reduced - but hey - I didn`t create the list - David Cooper did.  And if I shortened the list someone around here familiar with Cooper would probably be griping that I edited his list. 

Truth is most people IMHO will only ever use a small handful of these questions but different people will resonate with them in different ways. 

all the best,

Denise Michaels, Author, "Testosterone-Free Marketing"

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PS: Does the thought of marketing drive you to chocolate? I`m looking for a very special woman who loves her business but hates selling and marketing. Tell me about your business and your challenges and I`ll tell you how I can help you have more fun, feel more confident and make a lot more money. All my marketing mentoring clients get results. Visit me at http://www.MentoringwithDenise.com

I just would never talk like this. It seems really fake to me.

-nikole, keepin` it real over here.

I like the questions ... but I have an undeserved reputation for being odd. I also speak very formally, perhaps because I`m a foreigner. [From a tiny island in Europe.] I might use these questions in everyday speech. People who don`t know me think I have unusual speech patterns because my English is accent-less and stiff.

I refer to such speakers as "Deliberate" speakers, or Enunciator`s. Is this what you mean?

Hi Nikole:

When David does it - it doesn`t sound fake at all.  It`s just a part of him.  He`s just been doing it for so many years it just sounds normal.  And he`s a top, top level trainer for Mary Kay, Coldwell Banker and a lot of other companies. 

I`ll admit - I only use a couple of these.  The one I use most is, "Wouldn`t it be great if...."

If I`m doing a good job of tying in the customers goals and core values with the question the reaction is usually smiles, laughter and "Yeah, that would be GREAT!"  If done well it can be a wonderful rapport-builder.

All the best,

Denise Michaels, Author, "Testosterone-Free Marketing"

 

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PS: Does the thought of marketing drive you to chocolate? I`m looking for a very special woman who loves her business but hates selling and marketing. Tell me about your business and your challenges and I`ll tell you how I can help you have more fun, feel more confident and make a lot more money. All my marketing mentoring clients get results. Visit me at http://www.MentoringwithDenise.com

Hi Denise,

These questions parallel the techniques taught by the
great himself, Tom Hopkins.

These are great suggestive questions to get your customer
to open up and see the benefits of your product/service. Had
I not heard Tom Hopkins live myself, I may have lost the
purpose of these question, that`s being lost in translation.

In English there`s more than one why to ask for for an
order!

Continue to make this an Awesome day!

Won`t Be Denied!
C.F. Jackson

Hi CF:

Tommy Hopkins (who I saw speak over 20 years ago) used to use something that he called "tie-downs."  He asked questions in such a way that it made you feel like a jerk if you said "no" and like you were backed into a corner.  I could never ask those "tie-down" questions because I don`t see customers in an adversarial, one-up, one-down way.   That`s too "testosterone-heavy" for me.  Now maybe Hopkins has lightened up a little bit over the years. 

I know that David Cooper intended these questions to be like a softer way to do things than the "tie-downs."  I know that because we talked about it at length over lunch once a few years ago in New York when we ran into each other there.

I like to ask questions that help the customer to positively see the benefits of how great their life will be once they have the benefits that product or service can provide them with.

Anything that you`re not accustomed to saying is going to feel unnatural and therefore stiff and fake - because it`s just not the way you`ve always used your words.  And if you`re happy with the amount of business that you`re closing (in conversations on the phone or in person) then great - don`t change a thing.  But if a business owner is getting leads, making great presentations and not getting sales, new recruits, whatever - it`s time to start looking at what may not be working and consider shfting some words around - even if it feels uncomfortable at first. 

All the best,

Denise Michaels

Author, "Testosterone-Free Marketing"

 

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PS: Does the thought of marketing drive you to chocolate? I`m looking for a very special woman who loves her business but hates selling and marketing. Tell me about your business and your challenges and I`ll tell you how I can help you have more fun, feel more confident and make a lot more money. All my marketing mentoring clients get results. Visit me at http://www.MentoringwithDenise.com