5 Questions You Must Answer When Presenting Relevant Evidence

Presenting Relevant Evidence Back in a previous post, I outlined a sales call where the sales rep, after performing his diagnostic session, removed all documentation off the table, presented relevant evidence, and focused on the one solution that was going to address my challenge. I emphasize the fact that he removed all documentation off the table because it highlights one important fact: More information is not better. We want to get the need or the issue right and give them enough relevant information. Too much irrelevant information causes confusion. And confusion leads to doubt. Here’s the challenge - most salespeople don’t follow a process. They don’t do a good job of making sure they are on target during the diagnosis. They don’t say, “If I understand things right, you’re looking to reduce the amount of time it takes you to determine the ROI on this advertising, at the same time making decisions about what the best one to use is. Is that right?”  As a result, they don’t have a systematic method of using trial closes effectively. And without these trial closes during the diagnosis, they don’t nail the right need or issue. Most salespeople speak in generalities. And those generalities drive doubt in your buyer. Consider this. How does a lawyer support their argument when they are presenting their argument before a jury or judge? They present relevant evidence in various forms. And most salespeople have a tendency not to use relevant evidence in the right way, leading to too much irrelevant information.

The 5 Questions You Need to Answer to Identify Relevant Evidence If I were to prescribe a drug to you, I would tell you about the pill, when to take it, how to take it, give you the instructions with it, even tell you how it’s helped other people in similar situations.  As a patient, you would start to feel more comfortable about using it. Because if we can communicate the right way and we can communicate about our product or service the right way, we answer 5 pertinent questions in the buyer’s mind to help convince them that we have the right solution or the right opportunity. Remember, sales is an away game - it takes place in the mind of your buyer. So, if you get into any buyer’s mind, you’ll find those five specific questions you need to resolve:

1. What is it?

2. How does it work?

3. Why is it important?

4. Who says so, besides you?

5. Can you prove it? You need to communicate in a way that answers those five questions. If you don't, you’ll increase doubt instead of removing it. But if you do answer those questions and use supporting relevant evidence, you’ll enhance rapport and move your buyer faster through the sales process. You’ll find more ideas on using evidence in your sales process in Lance Tyson's book, Selling Is An Away Game available on Amazon. Get your copy today!