Here are 5 questions I would ask Sydney Freas: 1. Open-ended: What factors do you consider most important when selecting new hotel partners for your sites? 2. Closed-ended: Do you have a minimum star rating requirement for hotels? 3. Directive: Could you tell me more about how your marketing efforts help drive business to hotel partners? 4. Reflective: When hoteliers express concerns about high commission rates, how do you help them understand the value you provide? 5. Reflective: Some argue that online travel agencies do not provide as much value as they did in the past. What is your perspective on that view?

2.  Approaches to Selling
› Gaining Prospect Involvement
› Probing for Needs
› Types of Probing Questions

3. FOLLOW - UP
GAINING COMMITMENT
HANDLING OBJECTIONS
PRESENTATION
NEED IDENTIFICATION
APPROACH
PREAPPROACH
PROSPECTING

4. You’ve probably found yourself in selling
situations all your life!
Rejected? Wonder why?

5. The “Hard Sell”…..
What did that sound like?

6.  Through ________________ and probing, encourage
prospect’s involvement in identifying their needs.
› Promote atmosphere of openness to exchange
_________________ and feelings.
› Establish trusting ____________________ with your prospect.
Make suggestions and ______________ _______________.

7.  When asking need questions or “probing”, keep
these tips in mind:
1. Don’t ask questions that might lead to situations you
can’t escape
2. Ask only ______ questions at a time
3. Allow prospect to answer each question
4. Listen… concentrate on what the buyer is saying

8.  Prospects buy _________________ that satisfy their
organization’s needs!
 __________ types of needs:
1. Financial – Refers to maintaining or improving monetary results;
controlling ________________
2. Image – Refers to maintaining or improving __________________ or
credibility
3. Performance – Refers to maintaining or improving
________________________

9.  Why do we need to classify a prospect’s needs??
1. To understand the ____________behind a buyer’s decision
and what ________________ the buyer to make a
purchase
2. To establish a direction for _________________ and
conducting the sales call
3. To _______________ and apply ________________ that satisfy
specific organization or personal needs

10. 1. Closed Questions
2. Open – Ended Questions
3. Directive Questions
4. Reflective Questions

11. Closed Questions
 Closed questions can be answered in only a few
words
› Yes or No
› Not effective developing customer needs because the
prospect provides very little information
› Use closed questions _____________________!

12. Open – Ended Questions
 Open - ended questions invite true expression of
opinion and feeling
› OE questions prompt prospect for more information
› May be favorable or unfavorable to you
› Cannot be answered with a “yes” or “no”
Who?... What?... When?... Where?... Why?... How?...

13. Directive Questions
 Directive questions are used to get the buyer to
concentrate on the parts of your proposal he/she is
comfortable or agrees with
› DQ’s request expansion or further explanation on a particular
point
› Gets prospect to explore areas of agreement and focus less
on areas of disagreement
› Good to reestablish positive communication
› Use DQ’s ________________________
VS

14. Reflective Questions
 Used to __________________ prospect’s meaning to
determine their needs
› Can be used to buy you some “thinking” time when you get
a surprise objection
› Careful listening is required for RQ’s
› Use RQ’s _________________________

15. Respond to each with an open ended question:
1. “I don’t like your proposal.”
2. “Golly, I think your ideas are terrific, but to tell
you the truth, the boss just can’t see doing
something new like this. I don’t think he
would buy it.”
3. “I don’t know. I’ll have to think it over.”
4. “I’ll have to talk to someone else about it.”

16. Respond to each with a directive question:
1. “Golly, I think your ideas are terrific, but to tell you the
truth, the boss just can’t see doing something new
like this. I don’t think he would buy it.”
2. “I like your remodeled rooms, but they cost too
much.”
3. “That’s a good room rate, but your banquet service
prices are too high.”
4. “A new corporate program, eh? It’s about time you
guys came up with something new. See me in three
months and we can talk it over then.”

17. Respond to each with a reflective question:
1. “There’s certainly a lot to be said for your plan, but I’d
like to think it over and get back to you.”
2. “Anyone can find reasons for changing, however,
before we start using your hotel for all our business
travel, you have to present me with a significant
reason for doing so.”
3. “You know, I’ve been in the business a long time and
I’ve heard the same old story from you guys for many
years.”
4. “Your proposal is great for the big company, but my
company needs are entirely different.”

18.  Surf expedia.com
 Come up with at least 5 questions for
Sydney Freas, Market Manager for
Houston/Galveston – Expedia.com and
Hotels.com
 Questions should be a combination of
› Open ended
› Closed ended
› Directive
› Reflective