Why the Customer Asked So Many Questions – A Sales Lesson from a Farm

 Why the Customer Asked So Many Questions – A Sales Lesson from a Farm

A Business Development Manager (BDM) was updating his senior manager about a recent prospect meeting.
“The prospect kept asking too many questions,” the BDM said. “I managed to answer most of them, but why do you think he was asking so much?”

The senior manager smiled and replied, “Let’s go to the farm nearby. We’ll discuss it there.”

The BDM was confused. What does a farm have to do with sales? Still, they both went.

At the farm, the senior manager walked up to a tree and started shaking it vigorously. The BDM watched for a moment, then said, “Sir, there are no fruits on this tree. Why are you shaking it?”

Without answering, the senior manager moved to another tree nearby and began shaking it. This time, several ripe fruits fell to the ground.

“Come,” the senior manager said. “Let’s pick them up.”

Now thoroughly puzzled, the BDM asked, “You still haven’t answered my question about the prospect.”

The senior manager finally explained:

“No matter how hard we shake the first tree, nothing will fall because it has no fruit. But the second tree? It’s worth shaking—because it’s loaded.”

He paused, then connected the dots to sales:

“The same logic applies to your customer and their questions.
If a customer asks no questions and simply says, ‘I’ll get back to you later,’ it means they see you as the first tree—fruitless. There’s no point in ‘shaking’ you for answers.

“But if a customer asks many questions, it means they see you as the second tree—full of fruit. The more they ask, the more valuable information they get. They’re testing your depth, not doubting you.

“If a customer doesn’t ask anything, it often means they don’t trust you yet. They may be planning to talk to another salesperson. But if they know you can answer every question confidently, they’ll see you as someone who doesn’t fear reality—and that’s exactly the kind of person they want to do business with.”

He smiled at the BDM. “Now you have your answer. That’s why you were ‘shaken’ like a tree.”

M.L. Narendra Kumar