What's a Customer Thinking?

Making presentations can be daunting if you are not sure of your potential customer's mindset and interest and anticipate his questions. Those questions could generate a long list and every customer might not ask every question every time, but since you don't know specifically which ones he'll ask himself, it is better to be prepared.  Here's a list:

• What do you offer?
• What do you offer that no one else has?
• How does your product compare to others?
• Does it really fill my need?
• Is it real-world?
• Will it work?
• Will my people use it?
• How will it impact our people and our success?
• Can you deliver?
• Will you keep your promises?
• Will senior management buy in?
• How will we produce as a result of the purchase?
• How will it all come together?
• What are the risk factors?
• Will you be my main contact after purchase or are you going to relegate me to "the service department?"
• Do I trust you? Believe you? Have confidence in you?

This comprehensive list of questions addresses both confidence in product and confidence in the salesperson.  The customer is seeking validation and wants to believe you.  They need what you have and they're going to buy what you offer.  The only question is: Buy it from whom?
See my post on "understanding the buying/selling process."