ABSTRACT

Ronald J. Baker suggests that the ability of the sales force to ask the right questions is a key requirement for value-based selling and value-based pricing. The author presents questions that sales managers can use to uncover customer latent needs in order to change customer purchase criteria from price to value. Each customer is unique. Ignorance is the most important component for helping others to solve any problem in any industry. There are questions one should ask every customer to assist in determining just where on the value curve the customer is located. The more information you seek from customers, the better equipped you will be to assess their price sensitivity. Always ask open-ended questions to engage the customer in discussing goals, aspirations, fears, desires, and dreams of the future. One of the advantages of setting the payment terms in accordance with the customer's desires is that this breaks down the price into the lowest denominations, usually monthly.