Business Consulting
Sales Assessment Results
57
Needs Improvement
10 questions
Maximum score: 100
Completed in
Let's cut to the chase — your performance has been a mixed bag. You show a solid grasp of engaging with prospects and addressing their concerns, but there's a noticeable lack of confidence and assertiveness in your responses that’s holding you back. You’ve got good instincts in acknowledging objections and asking clarifying questions, which is commendable. However, your tendency to offer soft responses and miss opportunities to showcase the unique value of your services is a pattern that stands out. You need to challenge yourself to shift from being reactive to proactive. Focus more on articulating compelling benefits and addressing objections head-on. I'd suggest diving into the SPIN Selling technique to sharpen your questioning skills and the Challenger Sale approach to help you frame your offerings in a way that prompts prospects to think differently about their needs. Remember, it’s not just about having a conversation; it’s about driving towards a decision. Your big takeaway? Don’t shy away from the hard questions. Embrace the discomfort of pushing for clarity and value. Confidence is key, and with a little more assertiveness, you’ll turn those prospects into clients.
Question Breakdown
1.
5
/ 10Question:
"I appreciate your proposal, but our team is already comfortable with our current consulting vendor, and I don't see a compelling reason to switch."
Answer:
I totally get it, I’m not sure why you should switch either. We’d have to understand more about what you’re currently getting out of the consulting you already have, compared to where you want to be and to see what that bridge looks like. That’s only to see if we can help because you might be better off staying with who you already have. Does that make sense?
Feedback:
The response demonstrates a solid understanding of the prospect's concerns, acknowledging their comfort with the current vendor. However, it lacks a strong persuasive element to highlight the unique value of your consulting services. The phrase 'you might be better off staying with who you already have' may come off as defeatist and could undermine your credibility. Instead, you should aim to articulate specific benefits or insights that differentiate your offerings. Asking open-ended questions about their current vendor's effectiveness and how they measure success could deepen the conversation and reveal potential gaps you can address. Overall, while there is a willingness to understand their situation, the response misses an opportunity to create urgency or desire for your solution.
2.
6
/ 10Question:
"Given the current economic climate, we're hesitant to commit to any additional spending without clear ROI."
Answer:
Got it, is there a reason behind the hesitation other than the ROI? I would love to go over how this can fit your situation, if at all and help you understand any doubts you may have. Does that sound fair?
Feedback:
The response demonstrates a good attempt to engage the prospect by asking about other reasons for their hesitation, which shows curiosity and a willingness to understand their perspective. However, it lacks a clear articulation of value or a direct response to the ROI concern. The salesperson could have emphasized potential value or provided examples of how past clients achieved ROI, which would have made the response more compelling. Additionally, the closing technique used is quite soft; a stronger closing statement could have been beneficial to move the conversation forward. Overall, while the salesperson shows interest in collaboration, the response could be more solution-focused and assertive in addressing the objection.
To improve, consider incorporating a brief value statement or insight that aligns with the prospect's concerns to alleviate their hesitation about spending.
3.
7
/ 10Question:
"I understand your offering, but I need to see tangible results from similar businesses before proceeding."
Answer:
Perfect so you understand that my offer is a solution to the problem you’re having. And since it fits your needs that we discussed earlier in the call, as well as the case studies I’ve shared from over 1000s of people in your exact position, what exactly does that tangible result look like to you?
Feedback:
The response effectively acknowledges the prospect's concern about needing tangible results, which is a positive aspect. However, it could be improved by providing specific examples or metrics from past clients to bolster credibility. The question asked at the end demonstrates curiosity and discovery, inviting the prospect to clarify their expectations. However, the initial part of the response could have been more clearly articulated, and it feels slightly dismissive by not directly addressing their request for tangible results. Overall, the tone is appropriate, but the response could benefit from a more structured approach to showcasing value. A score of 7 reflects the solid foundation but indicates room for improvement in delivering a more compelling answer.
4.
7
/ 10Question:
"We have some urgent priorities that require our immediate attention, so a consulting partnership may not be feasible right now."
Answer:
I totally get it, sometimes life has a way of making us put things on the back burner and sometimes those things were sent to help get us out of the hole we’re in. If you had the opportunity to talk to someone that may be able to prevent those emergencies in the future or even help solve them, instead of having to drop everything and focus on something that isn’t benefiting the business, do you think would that help you at all?
Feedback:
The response effectively acknowledges the prospect's urgency and prioritizes their needs, which demonstrates active listening. It uses a consultative approach by proposing a solution that could alleviate future crises, tapping into the prospect's pain points. The tone is empathetic, making it relatable. However, the closing question could be more direct to encourage engagement. Asking how soon they might be open to discussing future preventative strategies could have made it more actionable. Overall, it's a solid response but could benefit from a slightly clearer call to action.
Score: 7
5.
3
/ 10Question:
"Can you explain how your service differs significantly from what we are already receiving?"
Answer:
Well maybe nothing… And just so you are aware I’m not sure we could even help you yet, we’d have to understand more of what you have in place now as far as business consulting,for example: how to make more money by increasing revenue, decreasing overhead, and then minimizing taxes.
Feedback:
The response lacks confidence and fails to effectively address the objection. Starting with 'maybe nothing' undermines the value proposition and can lead to skepticism from the prospect. The salesperson should have clearly articulated the unique aspects of their services compared to competitors. While the mention of needing to understand the current setup is relevant, it could have been framed more positively, demonstrating curiosity and a willingness to collaborate. Additionally, the response could benefit from a more structured approach, such as using the SPIN Selling technique to explore the prospect's situation and problem before positioning the service as a solution. Overall, the lack of assertiveness and clarity leads to a missed opportunity to engage the prospect meaningfully.
6.
5
/ 10Question:
"I'm concerned about the potential disruption to our team's workflow during the implementation process."
Answer:
I get it, I mean we just met so of course I’d like to answer any questions and strategize how it may work for you and your business. So tell me, what’s behind that question just so I understand?
Feedback:
The response acknowledges the prospect's concern, which is a good start, but it lacks a more proactive solution-focused approach. Instead of just asking for clarification, the salesperson could have offered reassurances about how they typically minimize disruption during implementation. Additionally, they could have shared a brief success story or example of how they've helped similar clients to alleviate concerns. The tone is conversational, but it feels a bit too passive. A stronger closing technique could have been employed to guide the conversation forward. Overall, the response shows some curiosity and an attempt to engage, but it misses the mark on addressing the concern effectively.
Score: 5
7.
6
/ 10Question:
"While your expertise sounds great, I’m not convinced it aligns with our company's current strategic direction."
Answer:
Got it, does your company’s strategic direction include making more money and eventually scaling? I’m just curious on what that looks so I can understand exactly what the convincing point may be. I’m sure we have the solution and maybe even the steps to implement to get to the destination faster. Does that make sense?
Feedback:
Your response does a decent job of acknowledging the objection and asking a clarifying question about the company's strategic direction, which shows curiosity. However, it could benefit from a more direct exploration of their current strategy and how your expertise specifically aligns with it. Instead of jumping to potential solutions, take a moment to understand their pain points and priorities better. This could help you tailor your approach more effectively. Additionally, the phrasing could be more polished and professional to fit the consulting industry better. Overall, you're on the right track, but there’s room for improvement in clarity and alignment with the prospect's strategic direction.
8.
6
/ 10Question:
"We've had bad experiences with consultants in the past; how can I trust that this would be different?"
Answer:
When you say bad experiences, what exactly happened? I’ve heard plenty of horror stories and with the returning clients and long lasting relationships we’ve built, we fortunately haven’t had too many negative reviews. As you know there’s always two sides to every situation. Was it bad consulting? Loss of business? What did that look like?
Feedback:
The response addresses the objection by asking clarifying questions, which is a good way to uncover the specific concerns the prospect has. However, it could be improved by incorporating a more empathetic tone to acknowledge the prospect's feelings about their past experiences. The reference to 'two sides to every situation' might come off as dismissive rather than understanding. Additionally, while exploring the prospect's past experiences is essential, the salesperson could also proactively share how their consulting approach is different and what unique value they bring to the table, which would enhance the solution-focused aspect of the conversation. Overall, the response shows curiosity and a collaborative approach but lacks a strong demonstration of value and reassurance.
9.
5
/ 10Question:
"Our budget for this fiscal year is tight, and I need to justify any additional expenses to stakeholders."
Answer:
That’s not a problem, how does the board feel about you guys being able to solve this problem in generating more leads to convert into more revenue so that you can scale and eventually start decreasing your overhead?
Feedback:
The response attempts to redirect the focus from the budget objection to the potential benefits of generating more leads and revenue. However, it lacks clarity and doesn't specifically address the budget concern directly. It could have included questions to better understand the client's financial situation and explore creative solutions within their constraints. Additionally, while it hints at long-term benefits, it misses a collaborative tone and doesn't explicitly provide a closing technique or a clear next step. Improving the structure and clarity of the response would enhance its effectiveness.
10.
7
/ 10Question:
"I'm still exploring other options, and I don't want to rush into a decision without evaluating all possibilities."
Answer:
Yeah that’s not a problem, if you don’t mind me asking, what are you hoping the other options include or may say to you? Let’s suppose you meet with them all, we all meet your needs and criteria including price. How would you decide then?
Feedback:
The response effectively acknowledges the prospect's need for careful consideration, which is crucial in the business consulting industry. However, it could benefit from a more empathetic tone to foster a stronger connection. The use of open-ended questions is good for exploring the prospect's needs and decision-making criteria, but the phrasing could be softened to avoid coming off as challenging. For example, instead of 'what are you hoping the other options include,' you could ask, 'What specific criteria are you looking for in these options?' This would show more curiosity and active listening. Overall, while there is a solid attempt at engaging the prospect and understanding their thought process, the tone and phrasing could be improved for better rapport-building.