Who Else Cares

“Never ask a question that forces a lie” is one of my favorite quotes from Bill Caskey, author of Same Game, New Rules. Most make the mistake of asking prospects if they are the ones that can make the decision. This is a set up to get lied to or to get an incomplete picture of their decision-making process. A question like “who else cares” can get a more nuanced picture of the other influencers in any decision to make a change. Once we have uncovered the pain that our contact is feeling or change they are desiring, it’s important that we not leave the call or meeting without a sense of the other players involved. Other ways that you can ask the question – “who else has a stake in this”, “who else cares about solving for this”, “who else has a voice in making this decision”. This open-ended question will get us a better answer about who else we might need to include in our qualification process going forward.

To ensure we have all the right people in the room / a part of the dialogue about making a change, any version of “who else cares” will get us one step closer.

A few simple reminders to be vigilant about when implementing this type of question.

Don’t ask Yes/No questions
Questions that lead the prospect to a yes or no answer are not very useful. Are you the one who makes the decision? Does that sound good? If we could do X would that solve your issue? STOP asking leading or dead-end questions like this.
Use warm-up phrases to disarm
“Can you give me a sense of…” is a warm-up phrase before asking a question like “Who else cares.” “In my experience” can also explain why you’re asking as a warm-up before launching into the question, i.e.: “In my experience there are usually others that are going to want to weigh in on this, can you give me a sense of who else has a stake in this?”
Use the information to inform next steps
When you ask about who else cares, you’re going to get information about other people. Make sure you act on this and suggest who else will need to be included in your process moving forward, and how. Be clear where the other decision-makers will fit into your next steps. Be willing to respectfully walk away if your contact shields you from interacting with other key stakeholders.

Asking thoughtful questions in disarming ways is the best way to ensure an efficient and effective sales process. Seek the truth of what’s going on with your prospect and all the players involved in a decision to make a change. Use this information to inform your process steps and ensure you are equally in control of the process to decide whether or not you are a fit.

All of these ‘little things’ matter in our ability to be effective as sales professionals and expert negotiators. The ability to master our craft of new business negotiation takes a willingness to try new things, even if they are a little bit uncomfortable.

Onward.

Tom