The Costco Connection

DIFFICULT QUESTIONS from customers or suppliers can make you cringe. But a few insights and a little preparation can take the pressure off handling even the toughest questions.

Recognizing the motivation behind a request tells you which of three types of questions you’re confronted with and how best to respond.

Message questions. These aren’t actually ques-
tions. The person is using a question format to
make a point, share information or state a personal
conviction. They might begin with something like
“Don’t you think ... ?” or “Did you know … ?”
The effective way to deal with the message
question is to say, “I get your point,” “Thank you
for pointing this out” or “I see you’ve given this a
great deal of thought. I share your concern. My
thinking is ... .”

Gotcha questions. These are much tougher,
because the goal is to make you anxious, flustered,
embarrassed, guilty or angry. Gotcha questions
often begin with “Why” or “How come,” and they
account for about ;; percent of questions people
ask, such as “I thought you were going to …” or
“How could you have missed …?”
The secret is to keep your cool and turn these
questions to your advantage by asking what’s
bothering the asker and addressing that.

Answer-seeking questions. These are the only
questions that truly seek an answer. Some of these
questions are challenging, such as “Can you give
me a discount?” or “Could I get this sooner?” or
“Could you take this back?”
These are questions you should have prepared
answers for, or at the very least a response such
as “Let me consider that” or “I’ll have to think
about that and get back to you ASAP.”
Regardless of the type of question, here are
some tips that can help:
• Don’t rush your answer.

• Keep the focus on what you can do, not what you can’t.

• Encourage a dialogue with the person if you need more information or clarification.

• Use encouraging language, a positive calm tone of voice and a welcoming facial expression.

Tough questions are part of life, but handling them well will increase your reputation and lead to return or new business. C

Tough questions

BY RACHEL HARTMAN

WHEN DONE well, connecting with another local business can be mutually beneficial: You’ll both gain the chance to promote your specialties to a wider audience, which can lead to future clients and a boost in your bottom line.

To ensure success, “invest some time in developing the partnership,” advises Endrea Kosven, a Costco member and founder of EDK & Company, a marketing agency that works with small businesses.

Follow these strategies to build a

Initiate contact. Once you have another company in mind, set up a meeting to discuss what you’d like to see as a result of the partnership. This may include building brand awareness, sending out promotions for a new product or increasing sales during an upcoming holiday season.

Start out small. Use your existing social media channels to help promote your partners, advises Spencer X. Smith, a Costco member and digital marketing consultant.

A landscaping business and a garden center might post current discounts and upcoming deals for each other on their Facebook pages and to Twitter followers.

If you run a restaurant with delivery services and partner with a florist, you might include a coupon for the floral shop with each delivery for the next month.

Meanwhile, the floral company could place a promotion, such as a free appetizer, with each of its floral arrangements.

Go for more. “Test out different promotions and see what works over the long term,” suggests Kosven. Future endeavors, such as a community event or email newsletter sent out to your customer lists, could help further expand your reach and have a positive impact on everyone involved. C

Rachel Hartman is a freelance writer who frequently covers small-business topics.

SMALL-BUSINESS ADVICE

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PAUL AND SARAH
EDWARDS

Paul and Sarah Edwards

(localmarketing.center)

are the authors of ;; business books.

MORE IN ARCHIVES

At costcoconnection.com,

search “Edwards.”

Win-win: How to partner with other local businesses

solid bond with another business and grow from the connection.

Focus on compatibility. When searching for potential partners, think complementary: If you run a fitness center, establishing a relationship with a local sporting goods store might be a good fit. “Businesses that share a similar theme can band together and create a neighborhood event that attracts their target market,” says Kosven.