Article contributed by Mike Tennent.
For several years now I have been telling my BNI Chapters that the most important words in their 60” Sales Managers Minute are “Who do you know who…” and indeed they are some of the most powerful words you can use…
Why… because they make the listeners imagination open to people they know outside of their chapter… because the words ‘anyone’ and ‘everyone’ turn the listeners’ minds off – we don’t know anyone and everyone… we know someone! “Who do you know who…” makes us think exactly that.. who do I know?
Imagine my shock then, when listening to what should have been a perfect 60”, when the speaker uttered those fabulous words “Who do you know who…” and I realized they were not the right words!
She was with a Computer Company and she asked;
“Who do you know who is not backing up their computer or network”
And I thought, I bet no-one in this room knows a single person outside their own business or family who is not backing up their computer. So I thought about it for a while and it dawned on me.
A lot of BNI businesses need to train their BNI Sales Teams to ask the right questions!
So what she should be saying next time she is doing her 60” is;
“The next time you see someone you know on a computer, ask them, are you backing up your data? If they say no, then give them my card”
If you have ever worked in a Sales position either internal or as a Rep… you are taught the questions to ask the customer that will lead to a sale… even McDonalds Staff are taught ‘do ya want fries with that!’ BNI should no different, you need to teach your ‘reps’ what to ask!
There is an EFTPOS company in one of my chapters who tells his members “the next time you are in a business and you are paying by EFTPOS, ask them if they are happy with their supplier and service. If they are not them give them my card.”
So…
Think about what questions you want your Sales Team asking your potential customers.
Teach them the questions!
Teach them again and again, week after week until they would not dream of passing an opportunity to ask on your behalf.
So now I ask you…
Who do YOU know, who is not teaching their Sales Team the right questions… refer them to this article!