The second base conversation is the least understood in the entire sales process. To reach 2nd base your prospect must need what you have, there must be compelling reasons to buy what you have, they must have compelling reasons to buy from you instead of your competition, and you must have S.O.B. Quality (stronger relationship, trust, credibility, expertise, caring and listening), developed by asking more questions than your competition, better questions than your competition, and tougher questions than your competition. Having done that, you will have differentiated yourself from all of them.

It’s all of those questions that cause confusion so here is what it is not:

• a list of 50 questions
• questions that you stop asking when you hear what you think is a compelling reason
• questions that you shouldn’t spend much time on
• questions that you should not ask if you’re uncomfortable
• questions that don’t get personal

Here is what it is:

• a single open ended question to get you started
• followed by dozens – yes dozens – of questions that are asked in the moment, without premeditation, that come directly from what your prospect tells you
• these questions go deep and wide
• these questions do get personal
• these questions are like heat sinking missiles that continue to seek their target
• these questions look for problems, consequences, feelings, and more
• these questions continue to be asked even when you think you have asked enough already
• a summary – that succinctly ties the problems and consequences – the compelling reasons – together in a nice little package.

Plan to spend plenty of time between 1st and 2nd base. Even an hour. If you take your time on the way to 2nd base, it will accelerate the rest of your sales cycle.