i SPIN Questions

Situation1

Problem2

Implication3

Needs-payoff4

Ch. 7 - Probing:

Identifying Beliefs,

Goals & Needs

Learning Objectives

• Understand five specific types of customer information needed to work effectively with customers.

• Develop and use a progression of questions that will help you communicate with and understand your prospect or customer.

i

Situation• Gather facts

• Develop understanding

of the context of the

sale and collect

background

information

• The more Situation

Questions asked in a

sales call the less likely

it was to succeed

1

#

1Situation

• What equipment

are you using

now?

• How long have

you had it?

• Is it purchased or

leased?

• How many people

use it?

Examples of

Situation Questions

Rackman, Neil, SPIN selling

• Investigate customer

problems, difficulties,

dissatisfactions, &

concerns

• Responses direct you

to prospect’s needs

• Work backwards from

problems your products

solve for prospect to

generate questions

• Uncover several

problems before asking

implication questions

Problem2

#

1Situation

#

2Problem

• Are you satisfied

with your present

equipment?

• What are the

disadvantages of

the way you’re

doing it now?

• How difficult is it

to process

orders with your

present system?

• What reliability

problems does

your equipment

have now?

• What equipment

are you using

now?

• How long have

you had it?

• Is it purchased or

leased?

• How many people

use it?

Examples of

Problem Questions

#

Implication

• Link isolated problems

by examining their

effect on customer

business &

organization

• Implication questions

break down the

problems & identify

consequences of

those problems

• Most powerful sales

questions

3

#

1Situation

#

2Problem

#

2Implication

• Does your

overtime expense

increase when

your equipment

goes down?

• Are you

experiencing high

training costs

because of the

difficulty that your

employees are

having in

operating your

equipment??

• Are you satisfied

with your present

equipment?

• What are the

disadvantages of

the way you’re

doing it now?

• How difficult is it

to process

orders with your

present system?

• What reliability

problems does

your equipment

have now?

• What equipment

are you using

now?

• How long have

you had it?

• Is it purchased or

leased?

• How many people

use it?

Examples of

Implication Questions

#

Need-payoff

• Help customers see value and benefits of the solution for the need

4

#

1Situation

#

2Problem

#

2Implication

#

2 Need-payoff

• How do you feel

a faster

machine will

help you?

• You said a new

machine would

be really useful.

Useful in

reducing your

• training costs,

or is there

something

else?

• Does your

overtime expense

increase when

your equipment

goes down?

• Are you

experiencing high

training costs

because of the

difficulty that your

employees are

having in

operating your

equipment??

• Are you satisfied

with your present

equipment?

• What are the

disadvantages of

the way you’re

doing it now?

• How difficult is it

to process

orders with your

present system?

• What reliability

problems does

your equipment

have now?

• What equipment

are you using

now?

• How long have

you had it?

• Is it purchased or

leased?

• How many people

use it?

Examples of

Need-Payoff Questions

SPIN Questioning Example

• Scenario: ________________________

One-Minute Paper

• In concise, well-planned sentences, please answer the questions below. Place your paper at the back of the room

1. What are the two most useful things you have learned during this session?

2. What question remains uppermost in your mind?

3. Is there anything you did not understand?

Shiffman’s Habits #11 & 12

• Habit #11 – Pretend You’re a Consultant (Because You Are)

• Habit #12 – Ask for the next appointment while you’re on the first visit

Critiquing Sales Call Plans

Instructions

• In this sales call, You will watch how the salesperson’s use of the SPIN QUESTIONING technique. Use the Think-Share-Pair strategy to discuss these questions:

• Did you see a natural conversation rather than a Q&A session?

• How well did the salesperson use the SPIN strategy to learn about the prospect’s problem?

• What were the consequences of the problems that the salesperson uncovered?

• How well did the salesperson help the prospect identify the benefits of using the new product?

• With your partner, identify one well asked question. With your partner, identify one poorly asked question. Re-word the poorly written question to be better. Be prepared to share your edits.

Mock Sales Call Video (start at 1:45)

• You can access this video on Canvas’s Chapter 7 module.