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The penalty box is a very crowded, impoverished place where sales representatives frequently find themselves. However, a visit to the penalty box can easily go undetected. The problem is twofold: Sales representatives not only don't realize they're there; or worse, they don't know why they were sent there.

A visit to the penalty box occurs when the salesperson has relinquished control of the sales call by immediately answering the customer's question. Salespeople tend to answer questions too quickly, failing to determine why the question was asked in the first place. Have you ever stopped to wonder why a customer is asking you a question? If you remove your assumptions, the answer is, "I don't know why he asked that." You run the danger of committing to an answer prior to understanding the customer's reason for asking it. Eagerly answering all his questions immediately can have dire consequences to the outcome of a sales call.

You can maintain control of the sales call by answering high-impact questions with a question. Customers usually have a good reason for asking a question, so it's in your best interest to find out why. What might be in the back of their minds? What's the motivation behind the question? Jumping on the question with a quick, clever answer simply gives up control. You are totally at the mercy of the customer's interpretation of your answer. A visit to the penalty box is one of the biggest reasons salespeople lose sales.

The problem stems from the process we were taught in our educational system. We were conditioned by our teachers and parents to, "Just answer the question." In class we were taught to raise our hand and spit out an answer. When answered correctly, it fueled self-esteem and heightened our confidence, especially in the presence of our classmates and our teachers. Sales entrepreneurs have learned to resist the temptation to immediately respond to questions, but rather to inquire about the reason for asking. I offer this five-step strategy to help you safeguard yourself against unproductive time spent in the penalty box.

1. Identify the question as either high impact or low impact. Ask, "What impact will my answer have on the buying decision?" A high-impact question means your answer will either negatively or positively impact the customer's decision to buy from you. You must listen carefully to the question, put it in the context of the conversation, and decide on your answer's impact. If high impact, go to Step 2. If low impact, simply answer the question.

2. Compliment their question—make them feel good. Thank them for asking you a good question, one that perhaps you haven't heard before. It may have been asked because of its importance or relevancy to the situation but you won't know until you ask. In any case, be sure to acknowledge the question as a good one.

3. Identify the agenda. Why is the customer asking the question? At this point, only the customer knows. Politely probe the reason for asking. You need to be delicate with this because you don't want to appear confrontational by blurting out, "Why do you ask?" Your response should sound like this: "That's a good question, I've never been asked that before. Would you share with me your reason for asking?" Articulate your response to the question using your own words, your own style. The customer will usually share some thoughts, helping you pinpoint exact concerns.

   Echoing can also be an effective method to reveal your customer's hidden agenda. When the customer finishes asking a question, simply repeat or echo a couple of key words from the question. For example, a customer says, "Your delivery schedule seems to be too long!" Your respond with, "Too long?" Your echo will stimulate a response.

4. Bridge. Now that you understand the customer's reason for asking, bridge the appropriate feature to the benefit. For example, if he were curious or uncertain about delivery and Step 3 revealed that he wants rush deliveries when required, you can scroll your features menu and pick one that best satisfies that particular need, then bridge it as a benefit.

5. Verify. Ask the customer, "Have I answered your question? Have I addressed your concern?" Do not press forward with the sales call until you have satisfied his concern. Earning the right to advance means leaving behind no unresolved questions, concerns, or objections.

To illustrate the five steps, let's look at a fairly typical scenario. A relatively new salesperson is calling on a potential A account who is doing business with the salesperson's biggest competitor. Midway through the sales call, the customer asks:

C: How long have you been in the industry? (high-impact question)

S: That's a good question that I'm often asked and I'll be happy to answer it. Is experience something you are looking for in a salesperson?

C: Yes it is. I want someone with no fewer than 10 to 12 years of industry experience. Our business is unique and we rely on our suppliers to keep us current with industry trends and new technologies.

S: Although I've only been in the business for two years, I have a wealth of knowledge and support at the office. In fact our group represents over 100 man-years of experience. The benefit to you is that as your salesperson, I can put that experience to work for you.

C: True enough. I didn't consider things from that angle.

S: Have I addressed your concern?

C: Yes, that makes sense.

You have now earned the right to continue. The response was both honest and right. These five steps should only serve as a guideline to managing the sales dialogue. The concept of answering a question with a question is not new, it's been around for decades. However, I am simply packaging the process in a professional, manageable format. The objective is to foster appreciation and respect for your customer's question; take a moment to pause, and consider why it is being asked. Even when you provide an honest answer, it may not be the right one. Of course all of your answers will be honest, but are they the best answers? There is a big difference. Our answers must align themselves with the customer's agenda. I'm not suggesting that avoiding the penalty box is a new sales gimmick or a manipulative maneuver, it's not. It's simply an effective tactic to synchronize the call. Now take a moment and imagine the consequences of just blurting out an honest answer.

C: How long have you been in the industry?

S: Two years. I started just after we moved into our new building.

C: Really.

S: Yeah, so let me just finish up what I was talking to you about.

Although the answer of "two years" is honest, it was the wrong one. The customer now tells you, "Well, thanks for coming by. I've got your brochures and pricing, we'll keep you on file." You just got sent to the penalty box, and chances are you have no idea why. Customers interpret your answers based on their biases and perceptions. In this case, the customer hears the answer "two years" and interprets that as having no experience. It was honest, but wrong. Honesty and right must work together, you can't have one without the other; otherwise you're in the penalty box. If nothing else, this concept will heighten your awareness of how important it is to pay attention to customers' questions and avoid the penalty box.