Thanks for Asking

Selling often comes down to the salesperson’s ability to answer questions with confidence and conviction. In many sales situations, the same two or three key questions come up almost every time. It is therefore incumbent upon us as salespeople to identify those pivotal questions and completely master the answers through research, practice and live rehearsal with partners. 
 
Trial lawyers are absolutely dedicated to this strategy. The bigger firms have entire court rooms mocked up in their space and hold “moot court” rehearsals. They never want to be blindsided and they try to anticipate each and every question that may come up during the trial. They then rehearse their answers again and again, sharpening their responses until their practice jury or judge is satisfied with their words, their emotions and their body language.
 
I have talked to a number of salespeople over the years who have said to me, “I don’t like to rehearse . . . I would rather wing it.” To me that is akin to a pro golfer saying he does not like to go to the driving range or the practice green . . . he just likes to tee it up at the tournament and see what happens. Good luck with that! 
 
All real pros know that the key to sustained success is practice, and it is the practice, and the hard work behind it, that makes the performance or the sale seem so natural and fluid.