4 Magic Words Every Salesperson Should Know

When talking with a potential customer, your primary goal is to gather information. You want to understand that customer's needs, discover whether they've got a budget for what you're selling, find out what they've tried in the past, and so forth.

However, asking questions early in a conversation can be awkward. For example, suppose your customer states up front that they're already working with a competitor. Here's how that might play out: