Business Strategy
Sales Assessment Results by Kasie Lofton Smith
71
Professional Closer
10 questions
Maximum score: 100
Completed in
You’ve shown impressive skill in your sales technique, particularly in demonstrating active listening and a solution-focused approach. Your ability to engage prospects by validating their concerns and encouraging dialogue is commendable. This is especially evident in your responses where you effectively acknowledge objections, which speaks volumes about your consultative selling style. However, there are some consistent patterns of missed opportunities. While your tone is generally friendly and supportive, certain responses lacked a stronger closing technique or a sense of urgency to drive action. You often leave the prospect hanging without a clear next step, which can stall progress. To elevate your performance even further, I recommend diving deeper into the Challenger Sale techniques. Pushing the boundaries of your customers' thinking and presenting unique insights can differentiate you in a crowded market. Additionally, practicing the AIDA model could enhance your ability to guide customers seamlessly from interest to action. Remember, every conversation is an opportunity for conversion, so don’t shy away from asserting the value of your solutions with confidence. As a memorable takeaway, think of each interaction as a dance—lead confidently and invite your prospect to follow, ensuring they never step on your toes by leaving them unsure of the next move.
Question Breakdown
1.
8
/ 10Question:
"I'm concerned about how this solution aligns with our current company direction, given the recent leadership changes."
Answer:
I understand your concern, especially with the recent leadership changes. Let’s talk about your company’s new direction and come up with some solutions that will align with that. What are your key areas of focus?
Feedback:
The response effectively acknowledges the prospect's concern regarding alignment with the company's direction amidst leadership changes. The salesperson demonstrates active listening by validating the concern and transitions to a collaborative approach by asking for the prospect's key areas of focus. This encourages dialogue and discovery, which is essential in the business strategy industry. However, the response could further enhance value exploration by briefly mentioning how the solution has adapted to similar situations in the past. Overall, it's a solid response, but there's room for a bit more depth in showcasing the solution's relevance.
2.
8
/ 10Question:
"This project isn't a priority right now; we have other urgent initiatives that take precedence."
Answer:
I totally get that. Sometimes other priorities take front seat. I’m just curious, do any of your current initiatives overlap with this one? I’d love to help you tackle more than one issue at a time if possible. What do you think about that?
Feedback:
The response effectively acknowledges the prospect's concern about prioritization, demonstrating active listening and an understanding of their situation. The curiosity expressed in asking about overlapping initiatives reflects a solution-focused approach, hinting at a collaborative effort to address multiple issues. However, the closing could be stronger; it lacks a sense of urgency or a clear next step that would encourage the prospect to reconsider the project's importance. A follow-up question about the timeline for their current priorities would also enhance the exploration of value. Overall, the tone is appropriate for a business strategy context, but a bit more assertiveness could improve the effectiveness.
3.
8
/ 10Question:
"I'm unsure about the level of support we can expect after purchase; will we have access to ongoing assistance?"
Answer:
Absolutely! Ongoing support is so important to me. Not only will you have access to resources like 1:1 coaching sessions, training videos, and community events- I use your data and metrics to create personalized reports and tools to help you achieve your specific goals. Is there anything in particular you’re looking for?
Feedback:
This response effectively addresses the concern about ongoing support by clearly outlining the available resources, which is great for instilling confidence. The tone is friendly and supportive, suitable for a Business Strategy context. Additionally, the question "Is there anything in particular you’re looking for?" demonstrates curiosity and a solution-focused approach, encouraging further dialogue. However, the response could have been enhanced by incorporating a closing technique, such as summarizing the value of the support offered or creating a sense of urgency to reinforce the importance of the decision. Overall, the salesperson showcased active listening and a collaborative approach, but could improve on the closing aspect.
4.
8
/ 10Question:
"There are multiple stakeholders involved, and I'm worried about aligning everyone on this decision."
Answer:
Oh it’s definitely important for us to consider their opinion if there is more than one decision maker here. Let’s start with defining who the key players are, and what their roles will be. The longer we wait- the more opportunities we miss. What specifically do you think the point of friction might be so we can get everyone aligned and start tackling your goals?
Feedback:
The response effectively acknowledges the prospect's concern about multiple stakeholders and emphasizes the importance of their opinions. The salesperson's approach encourages collaboration by suggesting to identify key players and their roles, which is a strong consultative selling technique. The closing technique used here is effective as it creates a sense of urgency while inviting the prospect to explore potential friction points. The tone is appropriate for the business strategy context, and the questions asked demonstrate curiosity and a desire to facilitate discovery. However, it could benefit from providing a bit more assurance that you can help manage stakeholder alignment effectively. Overall, this is a solid response with a clear solution-focused approach, demonstrating active listening and a collaborative attitude.
5.
8
/ 10Question:
"With the current market uncertainty, I'm hesitant to make any long-term commitments right now."
Answer:
I get that the market is uncertain, but that’s exactly why now is the perfect time to put a strategy in place. I want you to be able to move forward in your business with confidence and support instead of hesitation. Together we can create a solid foundation and ensure you are stable. What area of your business do you feel like we should start with first?
Feedback:
Your response effectively addresses the concern by acknowledging the prospect's hesitation while framing it as an opportunity to establish a proactive strategy amidst uncertainty. You communicate clearly and maintain a supportive tone, which is crucial in the business strategy industry. The question at the end opens up the conversation for further discovery, showing curiosity and a collaborative approach. However, you could enhance the impact by briefly mentioning a specific example or insight to illustrate the value of having a strategy during uncertain times. Overall, well done!
6.
7
/ 10Question:
"Our budget is locked until the next fiscal year; how can we consider this investment now?"
Answer:
I get that a locked budget feels limiting, but this is actually a great opportunity to explore some untapped avenues and resources to generate new funds. What are some areas in your business that you might be able to expand and grow some extra revenue from?
Feedback:
This response addresses the objection effectively by acknowledging the concern about the locked budget while also shifting the focus to potential revenue-generating opportunities. The salesperson demonstrates curiosity and discovery by asking questions about areas for growth, which can lead to a deeper conversation about future investments. However, it could benefit from a stronger solution-focused approach, perhaps by suggesting specific strategies or examples of how similar clients have navigated budget constraints. Overall, the tone is appropriate for the business strategy context, but a clearer closing technique could enhance the response.
Overall, a solid effort that encourages dialogue but could use a bit more direction on how to leverage the current situation for future investment.
7.
6
/ 10Question:
"I'm not convinced this aligns strategically with our long-term growth objectives."
Answer:
Fair enough. I however, am confident I can help you and would love to help you feel the same. What exactly do you still have questions about? Are there any specific needs or tools you’re looking for that you feel align?
Feedback:
The response acknowledges the objection and expresses a willingness to help, which is positive. However, it lacks a deeper exploration of the prospect's concerns regarding their long-term growth objectives. There is an opportunity to employ a more consultative approach by asking probing questions to uncover the specific strategic goals and how your solution might align with them. The tone is friendly but could demonstrate more authority and confidence in showcasing how your offering can facilitate their objectives. Overall, the closing could be stronger by suggesting a follow-up meeting to discuss their goals in more detail.
Score: 6/10
8.
7
/ 10Question:
"There are significant implementation timelines that we must consider before moving forward with any new solutions."
Answer:
Well the longer we wait, the more opportunities you miss! Let’s go ahead and map out a plan that helps you prioritize immediate action, in alignment with the big picture. What are the key dates we need to focus on to make this happen?
Feedback:
The response effectively addresses the concern about implementation timelines by emphasizing the urgency of taking action. The salesperson uses a proactive approach by suggesting to map out a plan, which aligns well with a solution-focused strategy. The tone is assertive yet collaborative, demonstrating an understanding of the prospect's perspective. However, there could be more exploration of the implications of the timelines mentioned by the prospect, as well as a deeper inquiry into their specific needs and constraints. The closing technique could have included a more explicit call to action to solidify the next steps. Overall, the engagement is positive, but there's room for improvement in exploring the prospect's concerns further and enhancing the collaborative aspect of the conversation.
9.
3
/ 10Question:
"We have limited internal resources available for this project; can you address that constraint?"
Answer:
Sure, what are they? Help me understand.
Feedback:
The response is a bit too vague and lacks depth. While asking for clarification is important, it misses an opportunity to demonstrate understanding and offer a tailored solution based on the prospect's specific constraints. Engaging the prospect with a more empathetic tone and providing insights on how you can help optimize their limited resources would have been more effective. Additionally, you could have acknowledged their concern and reassured them that you can work within their constraints. Using a consultative approach to explore their needs more deeply would enhance the conversation. Overall, it shows curiosity but lacks a value-driven response.
Score: 3/10.
10.
8
/ 10Question:
"I'm not sure if the value proposition here is compelling enough to justify the investment over our current vendor."
Answer:
I understand. Let’s talk about where you think your current vendor falls short, and what an ideal solution looks like to you? I’m confident I can help you not only fill those gaps, but deliver measurable results that go beyond what you’re currently getting. Let’s explore that together!
Feedback:
The response effectively addresses the objection by encouraging the prospect to share their thoughts on the current vendor's shortcomings, showcasing a consultative and collaborative approach. It maintains a positive and confident tone, which is suitable for the business strategy industry. The salesperson's focus on exploring the prospect's ideal solution demonstrates curiosity and a solution-focused mindset. However, there could be a stronger emphasis on the specific value proposition and how it directly addresses the prospect's needs. Overall, it's a solid response that could be improved with more tailored insights or examples of how the proposed solution adds value compared to the current vendor.