Suppose you get an unexpected call from a prospect who says he’s interested in replacing his building’s HVAC system with your energy-efficient technology. Many salespeople would say, “Great! Let’s set up an appointment and we can go over the details.” A sales professional, on the other hand, would say, “Would be happy to oblige. Just out of curiosity, what made you call us today about replacing your HVAC system?”
Why is this question important? The answer will get you inside the prospect’s head. You might learn something about the decision-making dynamics in your prospect’s organization. More than likely, you’ll get a glimpse of how you might use energy efficiency as the lever to alleviate pain and/or produce gain.
You might learn that your prospect is chasing utility bill savings. Or perhaps he’s more interested in capturing the praise and labels associated with sustainability initiatives. Or perhaps he’s received an ultimatum from a tenant who won’t renew his lease unless certain thermal comfort problems are definitively addressed. Having this information ahead of time will help guide and focus your value proposition and allow you to hit the ball out of the park during the first meeting.
