Lesson 3: Determining Customer Needs and Wants

Questioning

 Ask consumers questions to help identify what they need or want.  This could be on a website or in person in a store.  With access to the Internet, consumers come equipped often with a lot of information.  Therefore, check with what they already know and try to enhance their knowledge.  You want the customer to have as much knowledge as possible before making a purchase.  However, you do not want to get off course by talking about features and benefits for which the customer has not expressed a need.

  • Connect with a potential customer by asking involvement questions.

 


You want to get customer involvement in a purchase.  Consumer involvement  is a state of mind that motivates consumers to identify with product and/or service offerings, their consumption patterns, and consumption behaviour.

  • If you know of a product that you think the customer might like and perhaps did not know about, point it out but do not be aggressive.
  • Omit unnecessary words or dialogue.
  • Use information-gathering questions.
  • Use questions that help serve the customer, move the sale forward, and give a positive image.
  • Always ask if they need anything else or if they have any more questions.