How many times have you come across a salesperson who wanted to know about YOU before introducing you to the benefits and features of your product or service? How often?

As a senior manager in the senior housing industry, I was constantly challenged to help sales and marketing staff understand the difference between asking and telling. This challenge alone was costing the company millions of dollars in lost business annually. Here is an example:

Let’s say you are responsible for helping your parents move from their current residence to a senior living environment, known as CCRC (Continuing Care Retirement Community) or ALF (Assisted Living Facility). Depending on your parents’ health and finances, coupled with excitement and lack of experience or knowledge in the area of ​​senior housing, this could be a daunting and confusing task. Since your parents would like to stay in the immediate area, find a local CCRC and make the call. Below are 2 scenarios, one with an unqualified seller and the other with a qualified seller.

Unqualified seller

(This scenario is based on the assumption that you have limited knowledge in the senior housing industry and are not prepared to ask the appropriate questions.)

Call a local CCRC for information. When you call, you are transferred to a sales or marketing consultant. Request to receive information on housing for the elderly. The sales or marketing person may ask you a few questions about your situation, but they most likely won’t; instead, you will be bombarded with all the benefits and features this community has to offer. The call would be something like this:

CCRC: “Hello Mary speaking, how can I help you?”

OUTLOOK: “I’m calling to get information about your residency.”

CCRC: “Ok, can I have your name?”

PERSPECTIVE: “Teri”.

CCRC: “Hi Teri, is this for you or someone else?”

PERSPECTIVE: “My parents.”

CCRC: “Ok, what are their names?”

OUTLOOK: “Their names are Bertha and Ben.”

CCRC: “How old are Bertha and Ben?”

PERSPECTIVE: “78 and 81”.

CCRC: “Ok Teri, let me tell you about our residence. We have a beautiful community located on a lot overlooking a beautiful lake with swans and fish. We also have many people like your parents, so there are many things to do. We serve 3 meals a day and snacks and we have an activities director who will involve their parents in all kinds of fun things. We also have a nurse on staff and also laundry facilities. “

OUTLOOK: “That’s great Mary. Can you tell me how much it costs?”

* No wonder the main question moved so quickly to cost. There was not much warmth, empathy, compassion, or understanding for my parents or their needs. What would it matter how many things you have, like lakes, swans, etc., if those things are not important to me or my parents? Why should I visit you if you haven’t given me a reason? The purpose of the initial telephone contact is to obtain, not give, information and to schedule an appointment.

If you and / or your sales people are counting vs. asking, are you losing income! Take the time to build the skills you need to get information by asking good questions. *

Qualified seller

Make the call and request information on housing for the elderly. This time you are connected to an expert version of Mary:

CCRC: “Senior Housing, Mary speaking, how can I help you?”

OUTLOOK: “I’m looking for information about your community.”

CCRC: “I can help you with that.” Your name please “.

PERSPECTIVE: “Teri”.

CCRC: “Hello Teri, thank you for calling senior housing. Have you visited our residence before?”

OUTLOOK: “No.”

CCRC: “Can you tell me what kind of information you are looking for?”

OUTLOOK: “Yes, only general.”

CCRC: “Well, to be better prepared to understand your specific needs, I have a few questions that I would like to ask.”

OUTLOOK: “Ok”.

CCRC: “Are you collecting information for yourself or someone else?”

PERSPECTIVE: “My parents.”

CCRC: Ok, do your parents live nearby? “

PERSPECTIVE: “Yes.”

CCRC: “That’s great, have you been in the community for a long time?”

OUTLOOK: “Yes, 32 years old.”

CCRC: “Ok, can I get their names, Teri?”

OUTLOOK: “Yes, Bertha and Ben.”

CCRC: “How old are Bertha and Ben?”

LEAFLET: “Bertha is 78 years old and Ben 81.”

CCRC: “Could you tell me a little about your current living arrangements?”

OUTLOOK: “They live in their own home.”

CCRC: “What about your health?”

OUTLOOK: “Bertha is fine, but Ben is having some problems.”

CCRC: “What kinds of problems?”

OUTLOOK: “He’s in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.”

CCRC: “Have you been diagnosed by a doctor?”

OUTLOOK: “Yes, it has.”

CCRC: “Ok, has the doctor made any recommendations?”

OUTLOOK: “Yes, he indicated that it would be best if we started looking at senior housing options.”

CCRC: “Did you talk about this with your parents?”

OUTLOOK: “My mom only.”

CCRC: “How responsive is she.”

OUTLOOK: “Very”.

CCRC: “Is there a reason you didn’t include your dad in this conversation?”

OUTLOOK: “Yes, I would be upset.”

CCRC: “When you say annoying, what do you mean by that?”

OUTLOOK: “Well, he’s determined to stay at his house until he dies.”

CCRC: “I understand, that’s not weird. This must be difficult for both you and your mom.”

OUTLOOK: “Yes, it is.”

CCRC: “Let’s talk about deadlines. There are a number of decisions involved in this process, have you or your mom thought about when a move would happen?”

OUTLOOK: “No, not really.”

CCRC: “Just a few more questions, Teri, then I’ll make some suggestions. Other than yourself and your parents, will anyone else help with the decision-making process?”

OUTLOOK: “No.”

CCRC: “Ok, do you live nearby?”

OUTLOOK: “Yes, within 10 miles.”

CCRC: “Ok, my suggestion would be to schedule a time for you and possibly Mom to visit us as the first step in the process to help you both determine if this might be the right option. Do you work during the week?”

PERSPECTIVE: “Yes.”

CCRC: “Are you free on the weekends?”

PERSPECTIVE: “Yes.”

CCRC: “Could this Saturday be good for you?”

PERSPECTIVE: “Yes.”

CCRC: “Morning or afternoon?”

OUTLOOK: “Afternoons.”

CCRC: “Would 3:00 work?”

PERSPECTIVE: “Yes.”

CCRC: “Ok, would your mother come?”

OUTLOOK: “No.”

CCRC: “What is the best number to reach you?”

PERSPECTIVE: “555-555-5555”.

CCRC: “Ok Teri, I hope to meet you on Saturday at 3:00.”

This “Ask, Don’t Tell” skill will change your final results SIGNIFICANTLY!

What have you got to lose? MORE SALES?