A very common question that I get asked being in the marketing and lead generation space is "how should I approach a sales conversation with a potential client". This is understandable, if you don't have a background in sales you may have not refined a process that is authentic and also works. It may even feel weird and uncomfortable to begin with if your clients have come from other sources like referral or word of mouth.

Discovery meetings, chemistry calls, free consultations... Whatever you call it, the first meeting you have with a potential customer is ultimately a sales call. The goal of the call is to add value, see if there's a fit and ultimately make a sale. That sale will help your client solve their problem and help you grow your business - it's a win/win.

And if you’re like most coaches, consultants, agencies or service providers, your business thrives on these high-quality conversations with people that genuinely need your services.

Whether you own your business or work for a business - if you have these initial calls with potential customers, you are now a salesperson.

That's not a bad thing. There is a stigma attached to sales. "Oh, I don't want to come across as salesy" is another thing that I hear my clients say all the time, and again that's completely understandable. What they usually mean is I don't want to come across as high pressure or pushy - which is never a good vibe.

But the thing is, when it comes to your business growth, the job of a salesperson, the role that you must step into, is the most important job there is. It's the catalyst for adding value to your clients and making an impact - so understand that sales is not a bad thing, it's a good thing when done correctly.

You see, your prospect probably has a similar view of sales too, they have a challenge that they think you may be able to solve. But at the same time, they’ve been burned before and they have a nagging concern in the back of their mind as to whether you can be trusted...

Perhaps they’ve had a previous poor experience with a service provider offering them the world without any results. Or a pushy salesperson that refused to take no for an answer...

Your prospect is hopeful you can solve their problem, but at the same time, they have their guard up. So paradoxically, if you want to make a sale, you have to come across as less salesy... It’s your job to win their trust and bring that guard down so you can help them.

There are many, many factors that go into increasing sales. But first impressions are crucial and perhaps one of the most important elements when it comes to your sales process. So back to the question at hand - how to start a sales conversation without feeling awkward, pushy or 'salesy'.

There is a way to set the context for the conversation to increase your chance of success.

A way to get your prospect talking about their challenges and sell themself on why they need your service (100x more powerful than you selling them).

By opening your sales meeting in the right way, the whole context of the conversation changes. The challenge that I see all the time with business owners, is that they're not salespeople, and to add to that, sometimes they're introverted too. So the thought of having a sales conversation and having to influence someone else makes them feel anxious, uncertain and well, awkward...

But the goal is not to be just another salesperson. It's to serve. You serve by asking great questions, actively listening and providing expert recommendations.

By doing this you transform from ‘just another salesperson’ to a Trusted Advisor.

So contrary to what most people think, the most powerful way to be in control of a conversation is not having the gift of the gab or talking your prospect into submission. To truly wield influence, the most powerful tool in your arsenal is questions.

In fact, there is one question that you can kick off almost every sales meeting with that I’ve found will not only set the scene for a productive, focused conversation where you will increase your chances of making the sale, but you’ll qualify your prospect and find out what their biggest challenge is in order to solve their problem.

This is a tactic that I’ve used for years in my businesses and advise clients to use all the time. They normally see an instant boost in their win rates - because starting well means you're more likely to finish well.

The question that I recommend all of my clients begin a sales conversation with (after a spot of introduction and small talk) is:

“Prospect. It’s good to be speaking with you today... I'm not sure if we'll be a fit or not, but I'm sure we can figure that out in this conversation. The majority of my clients share a couple of big challenges:

1. Challenge 1
2. Challenge 2

Is that something that you can relate to? Is there anything that you’d add to that list of challenges?”

90% of the time, this sets a potential client off in agreement with the two big challenges they have (that YOU solve) and how they’re experiencing them in their own world.

The other 10% of the time, they'll tell you they don't have those challenges. Maybe it's something else you can help with, or maybe you just saved yourself both 30 minutes by agreeing upfront that there is not a fit.

By asking this question you get the prospect talking about their biggest challenges and bringing to the surface the roadblocks they face. They feel the reality of those challenges in real time. They prime themselves to take action on solving their problems. They provide you with invaluable information that you can use to tailor your solution to their needs.

Now, of course, this requires you to know the biggest challenges your customers tend to face. But come on, you know that better than anyone. And with a little thought, I’m sure you can arrive at those challenges pretty quickly and set up your discovery calls to be as productive, focused and consultative as possible.