Have you ever called on a customer who shared with you a problem about his existing vendor? He’s unhappy and asks you if you could help — is that a buying signal or what? But wait! Instead of saying yes and launching into a spiel about how great you and your company are, respond with:

“Yes, I believe we can help you, but first let me understand your current situation…Can you tell me exactly what happened that’s causing you to look at other options?”

Your objective: get your customer to tell you his story. There is nothing more powerful than letting a customer talk — reliving his bad experience with an existing vendor. Doing so brings up emotions. And emotions are what motivates people to buy. Only after you’ve been able to stir a customer’s emotions can you present a viable solution.

Asking the right questions will ensure that you are listening and understanding your customer’s problems and needs — creating a healthy environment to close more sales.