Finding Out as a Step of the Commitment Pattern
“Finding Out” is the last step of preparation in the commitment pattern preceding the most critical moment when the invitation to commit is extended. The purpose of finding out is to discover anything that might impede the prospect from committing once the invitation is extended.
Finding out involves listening, asking good questions, and supplementing verbal responses with attention to non-verbal clues. Finding out is a feedback loop in the preparation segment of the commitment pattern and information learned opens the door for more education.
During this step, it is often good to restate in your own words what you believe the prospect is saying so that communication fidelity is ensured, without being annoyingly repetitive. It is vital to understand one another clearly.
Perhaps the most important part of finding out is to discover what are the real concerns that the prospect might have. Good questions separate great persuaders from the crowd, as they elicit the true feelings of the prospect and provide the persuader with the best opportunity for success.
What are your thoughts on “finding out” in persuasive engagements?