This question will serve you well no matter what you do or where you go. Use it liberally and watch what a difference it makes in working with others and building relationships.

Throughout my career I’ve had many occasions to use the sales training I received through company-based professional development events and through self-help tape programs I listened to during my commutes. I learned many techniques and skills that have helped me sell a ton of goods and services over the past few decades. However, there’s one technique that was brought to my attention by my brother that’s attributed to a majority of my success in selling. It is a single question that I could ask a prospect or even a complete stranger and receive a positive and open-minded reaction almost every single time I asked it. It’s so effective I continue to use it in any interaction where I’m trying to convince someone to buy-in to something and eventually take action.

My brother had taken over a small advertising/marketing firm in the Washington DC area and was looking for help building its customer base. It was struggling to make a profit and, of course, nothing fixes problems better than more sales. So he asked me to come in and sell. I was selling pianos and organs in a local shopping mall at the time and felt I could sell anything as long as I had some product knowledge under my belt. The first day on the job he put me in a small office with a desk, a chair, and phone. Handed me a list of contacts with phone numbers and said start calling. I was used to making cold calls but wasn’t sure what I was selling yet. He gave me a brochure to review and told me that once I got someone on the phone to ask them this one question. It worked famously and I setup a bunch of meetings with prospects.

I realized that I was using the question even before my brother had brought it to my attention. I was using it when I was “front pumping” in the piano and organ storefront in the shopping mall. [Front pumping is a term used in the piano and organ business. In the old days, organs used to be pumped by pedals to push air through the pipes to make sound and music. To sell these hobby organs, salesmen would pump the pedals on an organ at the front of the store to get the attention of passersby and bring them in to sell them an instrument. This term is still used today even though the instruments are fully electronic and automated.] I’d get someone’s attention while playing the organ and when I made eye contact I’d step away from the organ and ask them the question while they could see the organ was still playing the rhythms behind me without my even touching it. It was a very effective method of getting their attention.

Later, as I found new employment opportunities and ended up on different career paths, I used the question often without even realizing it. It became habit and just part of my lingo when selling, working with others, and striking up conversations with people. The question was especially useful when I had the occasion to work tradeshows and expos or any type of marketplace. Standing at a booth waiting for people to come by could be mind-numbing for most. I was used to it from my days at the shopping malls and found that this question helped make things happen and keep the day interesting.

For salespeople, they are usually looking for new and innovative techniques for closing a deal. This question lays the groundwork for building a relationship with a prospect and easing them down the road to a closed deal making it easier to close.

This question is warm and inviting and really puts the other party in a place where they are unable to remain silent. It must be answered.

It can be initiated at the slightest connection. Eye contact, a smile, a frown, or just a glance.

It’s genuine, authentic, and welcoming. It opens their mind and provides the opportunity to educate and inform.

So what’s the question already!?!

Ok, drum roll, please………….

The question is:

“Are you familiar with _______________?” [Enter your company name, product, service, or concept in the blank.]

Selling is about teaching and no matter what they say in response to this question it provides you, as a salesperson, an opportunity to teach them and make them familiar with what you’re selling.

Here are a few examples of how it works:

Salesperson:    “Are you familiar with the Widget Company?”

Prospect:         “No”

Salesperson:    “Well, if you have a couple of minutes, I can bring you up to speed.”

OR

Salesperson:    “Are you familiar with the Widget Company?”
Prospect:         “Yes”
Salesperson:    “Great! Are you a current client/customer?” or

“OK. What’s been your experience with Widgets?” or

“Tell me how you got involved with Widgets.”

OR

Salesperson:    “Are you familiar with the Widget Company?”
Prospect:         “Oh yes! I know you guys” (sarcastically, like they’ve heard horrible nasty rumors about who you are and what you do. Or maybe they’ve had a terrible experience in the past.)
Salesperson:    “Oh! Do tell.” or “Whoa! Sounds like there’s a story behind that response.”

It offers you a chance to clear up any misperceptions of your company or product and at the very least allows you to listen to some feedback that may help provide perspectives and strategic intelligence in developing communications and marketing for the future. It opens the option for their opinion to be given.

The only responses to this question with which I’ve been unable to create some type of productive interaction are those that respond by saying, “I don’t want any!” and quickly walk away waving their hands behind them shooing me away like an irritating wasp. In that case, I believe the question still worked because it kept me from wasting my time with someone that is closed-minded and unreasonable.

Here are some reasons this question works so well:

1. Easy Icebreaker — The question makes a polite connection and engages someone. When I am an attendee at a trade show, I walk the exhibit show/expo aisles and make eye contact with those in the booths and even say “hi” and a majority of the time they don’t engage me in any way beyond that unless I come in asking questions. It’s a shame to see so many opportunities walk by the booth without any attempt to connect. Draw them in simply by asking them is they are familir with your compeny, product, or service.

2. No pressure — It’s a gentle question. It’s not the type of tactic that turns people off or shocks them. I’ve seen people walking trade show floors literally accosted and almost mugged by booth staff to get their attention and get them into the booth. This question allows a soft approach to anyone walking by or stopping at your booth and gives them the chance to respond in their own way.

3. Difficult to ignore — People that are asked this question will feel the need to answer it in some way. Some may be strong enough to avoid answering the question but in most cases it’s reflexive and an automatic answer that people blurt out that becomes an interaction they must continue. It’s like magic. People become hypnotized into answering it.

4. It doesn’t make anyone look dumb — There’s no right or wrong answer. If they say “no, I’m not familiar with it” it’s not a bad thing. It’s not that they are saying “no, I’m not interested in what you’re selling,” they are saying “no, I’m not familiar with what you’re asking about.” They just need more information. They need to be better informed. There are already enough questions you can ask that make people feel dumb. It’s an invitation to be introduced to something new to them.

Try it out. I’m confident you will find it to be an effective and lucrative new tool in your sales toolkit.

When you do use it, tell us what happened and whether it worked well for you in the comments below.