You’ve done a fantastic job of presenting your Software.. Even before you did the presentation and demonstration, you engaged the provider and his/her team to ask about their practice, including their aspirations and afflictions.

It is the inevitable question that comes at the end of every demonstration and presentation – asking for the order, or finding out what next?

Salespeople get so hung up on preparing for the demonstration and presentation that they often forget to ask the most important questions they should focus on – Closing questions.

In the extremely competitive landscape, salespeople work from fear. They work with the mindset that they are under pressure and it will come down to price. Providers have so many options and therefore they can be picky about which EMR software to pick. But that does not mean you have to approach the closing and sale from that frame of mind.

If you ask questions as though they are already convinced about the efficacy of your software for their practice versus others, insightful questions not only make the prospect think, but give you answers you need to determine if this prospect genuinely liked your software and is considering it or not.

Here are my top 4:

1. Which of the Functionality do you see as most important for the challenges that come with implementing EMR software in your practice?
   Potentials will start thinking about what is it that they really liked about your system and. They will start to relate in terms of how they will use and benefit from your EMR System.
2. Can you tell me a little about the team (your staff) that we will be working with?
   This is an excellent question to address the culture of the practice – without asking about the ‘culture’ of the practice, and sometimes internal politics. You may get to know who can be your internal ally and who can potentially be your enemy.
3. What constitutes success for EMR Implementation? How will you measure success?
   This is a great way to have the decision maker envision success. It is a way to demonstrate that you are interested in the success of the client, not just selling software. It also give you insights into the expectations of the prospect.
4. Do you see any gaps in the way this system can manage your entire practice workflow?
   Many sales people will hesitate to ask this question for the fear of opening a ‘can of worms’. But this is exactly what you want to ask and bring out any pitfalls, anything that is between you and the sales order. It will allow you to address any concerns that have been left un-articulated. Bringing them out in the open now will give you the opportunity to address them head-on.

These are additional questions you should ask. I am sure good salespeople will have additional engaging questions to get to know and connect with prospects and close deals faster. Of course, you don’t have to wait until the end to ask these questions. In fact, it is much better (and much more natural) if you cover these questions during the demonstration if the opportunity arises.

As always, I’d love to hear your views. Share them or any other thoughts in the comments below. I look forward to reading your responses.