Most sales people would like to think that they are in control of every sales call. The truth of the matter is that most sales people are not in control, they let their prospects take control.

If you are getting a lot of wishy washy phrases such as: “We want to think it over, Call us next week, I have to talk to the boss, it sounds good but we have no money," then you are not in control of the sales call.

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If you are selling, you need to be directing your sales meetings. Otherwise, you’re just spinning your wheels, hoping your prospects share the information you need on their own.

Let’s face it, most prospects are not going to be upfront with you about their real reasons for buying, how much they’re willing and able to invest in a solution, and how they are going to go about making a decision whether or not to buy from you.

Very few real prospects will let you take control of the call so you get the information you need to present a solution that will fit their situation. They’re more focused on getting the information they THINK they need from you. The way to guide the discussion, while letting the prospect feel like they are in control, is to ask questions.

The person who is asking the most questions is the person in control. You don’t need to talk about yourself and your stuff to come off as capable - demonstrate your competence with the questions you ask. Bring a natural curiosity to the conversation, and ask open ended questions.

Use active listening to encourage your prospect to share their beliefs about how they view their problem and your solution. Help them identify the root cause of their problems so you aren’t just dealing with the symptoms.

And find out what they are hoping their solution will cost them, before you present your solution. Ask the right questions and you can be sure you are in control of the sales call.

Joe Marr is a public speaker, sales and management consultant and trainer, and runs Sandler Training - Ann Arbor. Contact him at (734) 821-4830 or visit his Web site.